AASV was saddened to learn of the passing of current and charter member of AASP/V Dr. Ralph Vinson. Dr. Vinson served as president of the association in 1978, received the Swine Practitioner of the Year award in 1980. He gave the Howard Dunne Memorial Lecture in 1986. The AASV Communications Committee and AASV Foundation created a Heritage Video to share Dr. Vinson’s life story: https://aasv.org/members/only/video/RalphVinson/
Dr. Ralph Albert Vinson, Jr., 88, of Oneida, passed away in his sleep Tuesday, January 25, 2022 at home.
He was born on December 16, 1933 in Larned, Kansas, to Ralph and Isabel B. Yeager Vinson, moved to Denver shortly thereafter and then to the Chicago suburbs a few years later after his father was re-hired as a Western Electric engineer. "Ralph Junior" graduated from Lyons Township High School, where he was a sub-five minute miler on the track team, despite being asthmatic, and played clarinet in the school band.
In 1951 he enrolled as an animal science major at the University of Illinois, where, in his first year, he became associated with Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and joined the Illini marching band. As a band member, Ralph traveled to the West Coast by train that year to perform at the East-West Shrine Game festivities in San Francisco before arriving in Pasadena to march and play in the Rose parade and at the Fighting Illini’s Rose Bowl victory over Stanford. Ralph excelled as a student and was admitted to the U of I School of Veterinary Medicine after his sophomore year, earning his B.S. in 1955 and DVM in 1957.
In 1955 he married Carolee Q. Younkin in Larned, whom he had met while spending a summer at his Aunt Lucile’s residence working on area farms, including his soon-to-be father-in-law’s. Upon Ralph’s vet school graduation, he and Carolee moved to Victoria, later moving into the home they built in Oneida in 1959. After initially starting his own veterinary practice, Ralph eventually joined a Galesburg based partnership and was later joined by Dr. Ben Allen, his close friend from vet school.
Subsequently Ralph decided to concentrate on hogs and moved his office back to Oneida, helping his cherished local clients develop and expand their confinement operations. He eventually developed an international swine health consulting practice and served a term as president of the American Association of Swine Practitioners, in the course of which he authored many journal articles, presented innumerable speeches, served as an expert trial witness, testified at Congressional hearings, was at the forefront of using personal computers and other electronic technology in his practice, and obtained his instrument rated single engine pilot’s license so he could rent and later fly his own Cessna single engine airplanes to farm visits and meetings in North America. In 1998, he retired and purchased a winter residence in Green Valley, Arizona, where they joined the Desert Hills Golf Club and attended the Valley Presbyterian Church. Ralph enjoyed many years of golf and other activities with his friends at Soangetaha Country Club. Ralph also served many terms on the R.O.V.A. school board, and he even found time to contribute citizen editorial commentary on WGIL’s "Gamut" radio program, but despite his busy schedule he was always able to take his family on long summer vacations, including one of his favorite places, Banff National Park, and many visits with cherished relatives in what he called "God’s country" (Kansas), Colorado, Arizona, Tennessee, and California. He and Carolee also embarked on numerous trips with or to visit friends across the world and attended several Masters Golf Tournaments and U.S. Opens at Pebble Beach and the Olympic Club.
Ralph was preceded in death by Carolee in 2009 and was very fortunate to have found Marilyn at such a difficult time in his life to provide him with so much loving care and companionship in his final, though quite active, years. He greatly enjoyed their long road and train excursions, spending time around the Main farm, and getting to know her children, their spouses, and her grandchildren.
Ralph was also preceded in death by his sister-in-law Janice (and brother-in-law Junior) Schneck and his brother-in-law Tom Zanto. He is survived by his wife Marilyn Main, sister Darlene Zanto, sister-in-law Donna (Dale) Atkeson, sons William (Leslie Armstrong) and Richard (Gretchen Shilling), daughter Susan, and grandchildren Drew (Hannah Whittemore), Jeremy (Maydha), Shannon, Marissa, Lucas, and Sydne Armstrong. He is also survived by Marilyn’s children, Bill (Maureen), Randall, Andrea (Bill) Cawthon, and Rod (Trish), grandchildren Philip (Emily), Catherine, Jonathan, Taylor, Charlie, Ethan, and Max, and great grandchildren Kyle and Kane, of whom he considered like his own.
Cremation will be accorded. A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, January 31, 2022, at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral Directors and Cremation Service Galesburg Chapel. Chaplain Jordan Knight will officiate. For those unable to attend the service, it will be livestreamed on the funeral home’s Facebook page, beginning at 10:00 a.m., https://www.facebook.com/Hinchliff-Pearson-West-Funeral-Directors-and-Cremation-Services-160333664037824/. There will be no visitation, and a private cremation burial will be at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the ROWVA FFA Agriculture Center. Online condolences may be made at www.h-p-w.com.