AASV President Dr Angela Baysinger passed away on March 8, 2024 after a lengthy battle with cancer. Her loss will of course be felt most acutely by her family and those friends closest to her. But the swine veterinary profession and the pork industry have also lost an invaluable colleague and supporter, and the pigs she always put first have lost a staunch advocate.
Three of Angela’s colleagues spoke during her funeral service. I thought each did a fabulous job capturing the different aspects of her character. Dr John Waddell focused on the force-of-nature approach she brought to the veterinary career she loved so much. Dr Lisa Tokach captured what it meant to be friends with Angela and the smile she brought to every encounter. Dr Wesley Lyons spoke to her love of people, mentorship, and her easy, supportive nature. For all who knew her, it was no surprise to hear how she was capable of positively impacting everyone she met in a different and meaningful way.
I first met Angela shortly after she graduated from veterinary school but did not really get to know her until we spent a couple of weeks together in 2000. She and I, along with Drs Paul Armbrecht, Christa Goodell, and David Pyburn, participated in a swine-focused Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostician training program at Plum Island that year. I then went on to serve with Angela on the AASV Board of Directors. We became good friends over the years, and I always enjoyed my interactions with her.
Professionally, she cherished her role as a swine veterinarian and was steadfast in her support of putting the needs of the pig first. She was adamant that swine veterinarians speak for the best interests of the pig. Promoting swine welfare and encouraging continued research into better understanding and improving swine welfare was not only the direction of her career but also her passion. She was always a proponent of a science-based approach to pig welfare but never lost sight of the importance of recognizing the emotional concerns of the people working with the pigs and the pork consumer.
Personally, Angela was never shy about meeting new people or welcoming a new graduate or student into whatever activity was going on. More than once, I had the opportunity to watch her introduce herself to a table full of strangers with a quick smile and genuine interest in their life stories. Her varied interests meant she could pretty much engage anyone on just about any topic and if it happened to be something she did not know anything about, all the better! She was truly a life-long learner.
The AASV played an important role in her life. She was proud of her profession and always eager to serve AASV and represent our members. Shortly after her election as AASV vice president in 2022, Angela told me how proud she was to have the opportunity to lead the association. She informed the AASV staff of her cancer diagnosis later that year but emphasized how important it was to her to contribute to the association, plan the 2024 Annual Meeting, and serve as the AASV president. Even as the disease weakened her body, it could not stifle her spirit and enthusiasm. She rallied her strength and led the 2024 Annual Meeting with great pride and her usual effervescence. Many attendees have commented to me that they did not even realize she was sick given her performance during the meeting. But that was Angela. When she set her mind to doing something, whether it was riding motorcycles, showing muscle cars, flying airplanes, preparing for a Tough Mudder competition, advocating for pigs, loving and cherishing her family, or planning and chairing an AASV Annual Meeting, she did it with dedication and gusto.
Angela’s husband, Jerry, told me that getting through the Annual Meeting and becoming AASV president were the goals she focused on during the last few weeks of her life. I am so glad she was able to accomplish those goals and I am so glad I had the opportunity to know her. We have all lost a friend, colleague, mother, wife, and daughter. I am sorry we will not have the benefit of her enthusiasm, dedication, and drive during what would have been her year as AASV president.
Godspeed to my favorite high-flying, hog-riding, Tough Mudder.
Harry Snelson, DVM
Executive Director