| In Memoriam: Dr. Suzan McLennon-Miguel |
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| Dr. Suzan McLennon-Miguel "Doc Sue" 1967-2023 |
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| On July 8, 2023 shock and grief gripped the Jamaican and Caribbean Veterinary, Food Safety and Disaster Management communities as news spread of the passing of Dr. Suzan McLennon-Miguel, affectionately called Doc Sue. She passed away in Suriname at the age of 55 following a battle with cancer. She kept her illness private so few persons were aware, adding to the shock her passing brought.
Dr. Miguel had recently taken up a position with the Caribbean Agricultural Health & Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) and moved to Suriname, on secondment from her position as Senior Veterinary Specialist in the Veterinary Epidemiology, Public Health & Food Safety (VEPHFS) Unit of the Veterinary Services Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Mining. Food Safety and Disaster Management were her major interests and she worked tirelessly right to the end to advance those causes.
Dr. Miguel started her career in animal health as an Animal Health Assistant at the VSD, having attended the Regional Programme for Animal Health Assistants in Guyana, graduating in 1989. She went on to study Veterinary Medicine at the UWI School of Veterinary Medicine in Trinidad, graduating in 2002. She later completed her Masters in Public Health at UWI in Jamaica.
She was awarded the title of Civil Servant of the Year by the Jamaica Civil service Association in 2011, and carried out a project to establish "Happy Rooms" in children's hospital wards to help sick children heal by having place for play and learning while hospitalized. She was a Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards (LEGS) certified trainer, and led several workshops to train persons here in Jamaica. She was a major force in the establishment of a regional disaster response network for animals, following the volcanic ruption in St. Vincent in 2021.
Doc Sue is survived by her husband David Miguel. May she rest in peace.
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| Dr. Lyndon McLaren 1923 - 2016 |
Dr. Lyndon McLaren died on Sunday, June 12, 2016 at the age of 93.
He was a graduate of the University of Edinburgh, 1950, obtained his MRCVS, and returned to Jamaica, working at the Bodles Agricultural Research Station in Old Harbour, St. Catherine and did research in infertility in the newly developed Jamaica Hope dairy cattle. He later did his PhD at the University of Aberdeen (1956) and on returning home went back to Bodles and became the veterinary nutritionist there. In 1975 he became Chief Technical Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture and went on to become Permanent Secretary in 1976.
He retired from government service in 1978 and joined the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), working in several countries, and later returned home to work with the Jamaica Agricultural Development Foundation (JADF) and the Jamaica Society of Agricultural Scientists. He also co-authored “Cattle and I”, a biography of our iconic animal geneticist Dr. T.P. Lecky.
Funeral service is to be held on July 5, 2016 at 11 AM at the Church of the Ascension, 1A Daisy Avenue, Mona.
The JVMA salutes all those who paved the way for us and pledges to continue the work to build on the foundation they laid.
May he rest in peace.
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| Farewell Dr. George Hylton |
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| Dr. George Hylton |
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Dr. George Hylton, a former Director of Veterinary Services, died on Saturday September 5, 2015.
Dr. Hylton began his career in health as an Inspector in the Public Health Department of the Ministry of Health. His long veterinary career began with his veterinary studies at Tuskegee in the 1950’s, graduating in 1960. After 2 years working in the USA with the Federal Government he returned to Jamaica in 1962. He became a veterinary officer with the Veterinary Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, starting as a Parish Veterinary Officer. He went on to earn his Masters in Veterinary Microbiology from the University of Michigan in 1973, and subsequently became head of the Linton McDonnough Veterinary Laboratory at the Veterinary Division. He later rose to the post of Deputy Director of Veterinary Services, becoming Director in the early 1980’s.
He always kept his hand in clinical practice and established Mannings Hill Veterinary Clinic, which became his full-time occupation when he retired from the Veterinary Services Division in the late 1980’s, which he operated right through into the early 2000’s.
He always maintained his involvement with the JVMA and even when he could no longer attend meetings, always wanted to know what was happening with the profession.
Both he and his wife Joyce have been ailing for some time, and he has now passed on.
As we face the many issues challenging our profession in 2015, let all veterinarians pause and remember the foundation built by George Hylton and those of his generation and re-commit ourselves to ensuring that, through us, their legacy will live on.
Rest in Peace Dr. George Arthur Hylton.
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| Dr. Phillipa "Pippa" Fray 1920-2014 |
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| Dr. Pippa Fray, photo from the JVMA's 1996 Golden Jubilee magazine. |
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| The Jamaican veterinary community is mourning the loss of Dr. Phillipa “Pippa” Fray MRCVS who passed away on Christmas Eve at the age of 94.
Dr. Fray was Scottish born, studied veterinary medicine at Dublin Veterinary College in Ireland, graduating in 1943. She practiced in England and Ireland before migrating to Canada where she got her Diploma in Veterinary Public Health from the University of Toronto and later a Masters in Veterinary Pathology at the University of Guelph in the 1950’s. She became an Assistant-Professor in Veterinary Microbiology and was editor of the Canadian Veterinary Journal. She also did a Masters in Library Science. She married in 1961 and moved to Jamaica where she worked for a time in the Department of Microbiology at the University Hospital.*
She then worked mainly in her second career in librarianship in various capacities, including working with the Scientific Research Council, the Jamaica School of Agriculture, the Commonwealth Libraries Associaton and the College of Agriculture. She was involved in coffee production, was a member of the Bee Farmers Association and edited the magazine Jamaican Bees.*
She frequently attended JVMA meetings well into the 2000’s until it became more difficult for her as age caught up.
The JVMA offers sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Dr. "Pippa" Fray.
* Source: JVMA's Golden Jubilee Souvenir magazine, 1996
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| FAREWELL Dr. Lloyd Turner 1924 - 2014 |
September 28, 2014
One of Jamaica's most accomplished veterinarians and exceptional scientific minds, Dr. Lloyd Everett Turner, was laid to rest on Saturday September 27, 2014. Though Dr. Turner spent his latter years very quietly, away from the activities of today's veterinary world, he was a classic all-rounder in his days of practice, pursuing and achieving excellence in all he did.
Dr. Turner was a 1961 graduate of Tuskegee University's School of Veterinary Medicine, and spent much of his career with the Veterinary Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, taking on roles from Parish Veteinary Officer, Regional Veterinary Officer (1978) to Acting Director of Veterinary Services (1984). He had a long list of accomplishments, including, among many others, an Upjohn awards for outstanding performance in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, development of a surgical technique for the correction of vaginal prolapse in cattle, the development of a vaccine for colibacillosis in pigs. He was a recipent of the Prime Minister's Award.
Dr. Turner was the uncle of the JSPCA's senior veterinarian Dr. Paul Turner.
Dr. Lloyd Everett Turner - 1924 - 2014 - May he Rest in Peace.
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| Dr. Lloyd Turner |
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Dr. George Trewick February 20, 2013
Dr. Trewick was once a laboratory technician at the Vet Division and did his DVM and later his Masters in Poultry Virology at Cornell University in the US. After leaving the VSD, he worked with Jamaica Broilers before leaving for the United States in the late 1980’s.
Dr. Richard Jones March 31, 2013
Dr. Jones was a 1965 graduate of the University of Queensland in Australia and in 1974 became the Managing Director of Fred M. Jones Estate in St. Thomas. Though he never really practised veterinary medicine in Jamaica, he was an active farmer, heavily involved in livestock/agricultural sector.
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OBITUARIES 2012
Dr. K. Bryan Davidson - April 25, 2012
Dr. Davidson was a 1965 graduate of Ontario Veterinary College, Guelph, Ontario, Canada and worked as a parish vet with the VSD for a year after graduation, then worked with Alcan until 1984. He also operated a dairy farm in Rhymesbury, Clarendon until the early 90's. He was a consultant to Grace Kennedy, Agro Grace, worked with the Jamaica Agricultural Development Foundation (JADF) and was affiliated to cattle breed societies. He was given a JVMA Golden Jubilee award for outstanding contributions to corporate business and the Association in 1996. He was 73 years old at his passing.
Dr. Cedric "Peter" Bent - June 19, 2012
Dr. Bent was a 1952 graduate of the University of Glasgow in Scotland. He was part of the Veterinary Division's team rising to the post of Director in the early 1970's, did much work in bovine fertility and was at one time Projest Manager for REPAHA - the Animal Health Assistant training programme in Guyana. He was President of the JVMA from 1960-62. He operated his own dairy farm near Old Harbour, St. Catherine for many years. He was a past Registrar of the JVB and is an Honour Roll Member of the JVMA. He was 87 years old.
Mr. Gilbert Smith - June 21, 2012
Mr. Smith was a Medical Technician who became the first Veterinary Medical Technologist in Jamaica. His contribution to animal health and public health over his very long and active career will be difficult to duplicate. He worked with the veterinary department under expatriate Directors, under the first Jamaican-born Director Dr. McDonnough, and his involvement with the Veterinary Services Division never ended even after his retirement. He was involved in identifying and controlling several disease outbreaks, including the development of autogenous vaccines. He was honoured by the JVMA and the Veterinary Services Division for his contributions. In his latter years he worked with the Caribbean Broilers Group. He was 94 years old.
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