Dr Jim McKean Passes Away

April 16, 2014 — 

It is with great sadness that I inform you of the sudden passing of Dr Jim McKean. There will be a visitation from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday, April 21 at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Ames. A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 22, also at St. Cecilia. Burial of the cremated remains will be in the Iowa State University Cemetery.

Jim was a member of AASP/AASV since 1971 and very active in the association, serving as AASP President in 1990. He was the recipient of the Howard Dunne Memorial Award in 1999. He was the Iowa State University Swine Extension Veterinarian for almost forty years. In this role, he has been highly active on swine health and production topics with a particular focus on food safety issues. In 2008, he was named to the National Hog Farmer’s Master of the Pork Industry list and received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Pork Board.

Dr McKean’s leadership was instrumental in finalizing PRV eradication and he was currently working with the AASV PRRS Task Force to develop a strategy for the eradication of PRRS. He was the organizer and driving force behind the ISU Swine Disease Conference. Beyond the devastating loss to his family and friends, he will be missed by the veterinary profession and pork producers.

Dr McKean is survived by his wife of 45 years, Ellen, of Ames; his son, Jim (Deborah) McKean and their children, Ellie and Kailie, of Annapolis, MD; his son, Brad (Carmen) and their children Madison and Marissa, of Fredericksburg, VA; his daughter, Bridget (Marv) Konz and their children, Addison and Grant, of Ames; and his daughter, Maura (Kory) Miller and their children, Larissa, Kaylyn and Reed, of Ankeny.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Dr James D. McKean Memorial Fund, First National Bank, 405 5th St. Ames, Iowa 50010.

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