In Remembrance

Lisa Conti, DVM

Dr. Lisa Conti lost her battle with cancer on November 6, 2020. Dr. Lisa Conti served on the National Institutes of Health National Advisory Environmental Health Sciences Council, was an adjunct professor at Florida State University, courtesy associate professor at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, and has taught at Tallahassee Community College. She was also an affiliate with Yale University School of Medicine on human-animal medicine projects.

Dr. Conti attended the University of Miami for chemistry and math before applying to the University of Florida to study veterinary medicine. In 1988, she started at the Florida Department of Health (FDOH), first with the AIDs surveillance section. She then worked as a state veterinarian, where she fielded questions about pet ownership and the immunocompromised and developed guidance for patients to keep their pets.

During this time, she was invited to attend the International AIDS Conference, where she heard one speaker from Africa state, "If the cure for AIDS right now is just clean water—I could not give that to my people." This prompted Dr. Conti to earn a master's in public health from the University of South Florida and focus on environmental health.

At FDOH, she was promoted to division director of environmental health. She founded the Association of State and Territorial Health Officers' State Environmental Health Directors group to work on a myriad of public health issues. After 23 years at FDOH, Dr. Conti went to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. She was the first chief science officer (CSO) as well as deputy commissioner under Adam Putnam. Under Commissioner Nikki Fried, Dr. Conti served as CSO and director of strategic initiatives, with interests in agricultural innovation. She was also prominent in the One Health movement. As a One Health representative, she traveled widely, working with an international community devoted to the area of human-animal medicine.

Dr. Conti wrote and co-authored numerous articles on One Health, public health, HIV/AIDS surveillance, and vector-borne and zoonotic disease topics. Recognized nationally and internationally for her work, she received the American Veterinary Epidemiology Society Gold Head Cane Award, Florida Public Health Woman of the Year Award and the American Veterinary Medical Association's Public Service Award. Dr. Conti loved clinical medicine and worked Saturdays at the Capital Circle Veterinary Hospital for almost 30 years. She was also board certified in preventive medicine through the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine.

Dr. Conti is survived by her husband of 31 years, Thomas Seal; their son, Dane Conti Seal; brother, Dan Conti; and numerous loving family members.

Fred Hall, VMD

Dr. Fred Hall, 81, passed away from COVID-19 on October 12, 2020. In 1968, he moved to Orlando, Florida, with his wife Sandy Hall and established Powers Drive Animal Hospital. In his practice, he worked tirelessly. He showed up early to clean sidewalks outside the building and often did not charge clients who could not afford to pay their vet bill.

Dr. Hall attended Rutgers University for his undergraduate degree before applying to the University of Pennsylvania to study veterinary medicine. Out of about 300 applicants, Dr. Hall was one of about 60 who were accepted.

A heartwarming community man, Dr. Hall was well known for sitting in his open garage, working on heirloom tackleboxes and homemade wooden fishing lures, and chatting (sometimes for hours) with friends and acquaintances who stopped by to say hello. He was well-known for his many kind acts, whether picking up the bill for a friend he recognized when out to dinner, helping to run the youth ministry at church or donating a car when a local women’s shelter needed a way to transport women to appointments. Dr. Hall also recognized how important pets are to older adults, particularly those whose spouses recently died. He would always make a point to call the grieving spouse, check in and offer help.

Dr. Hall is survived by his wife of 57 years, Sandy Hall, his daughter, grandchildren and their close friends.

Robert Jackson, DVM | FVMA Past President (1978)

On November 3, 2020, FVMA Past President Dr. Robert Jackson passed away at the age of 85. Born and raised in Lakeland, Florida, he graduated from Lakeland High School in 1952. He received his bachelor’s in animal science from the University of Florida (UF), where he was a member of the ATO fraternity. While at UF, Bob met and married the love of his life and wife of 60 years, Patricia Shefler. Dr. Jackson then attended Auburn University, where he received his DVM and graduated first in his class.

After graduation, he relocated to Jacksonville, Florida, where he owned and operated Parkway Animal Hospital for 45 years. In 1978, he served as president of the Florida Veterinary Medical Association and was honored to preside over the opening of the UF College of Veterinary Medicine. In 2000, he was awarded the lifetime achievement award by the FVMA.

Dr. Jackson was known as a kind and humble family man who always smiled and lent a helping hand. He loved his time on the water and was an active member of the Captain's Club for many years. He and his wife, Pat, had many adventures on the St. Johns River. He was a lifelong Gator fan and spent many a Saturday at The Swamp. He loved golfing, fishing, hunting, and, in his later years, spending time on his dock with family and friends. Dr. Jackson was known as a devoted and passionate practitioner who gave his all.

He is survived by his children: Robert Jackson, Kim Meade (Gene), Dr. Ronald Jackson (Sherry), and Tracy Lovett (Steve), as well as his grandchildren, Zachary, Jacob, Alexis, Colton, Kaylyn, Gabrielle, and Tyler.

Jerry Holmes Johnson, DVM, MS, DACVS, CVA

Dr. Johnson of Lexington, Kentucky, and Hollywood, Florida, passed away at the age of 81 on November 9, 2020. He attended the University of Georgia where he earned his undergraduate and veterinary degrees. He also served seven years in the U.S. Army Reserves and was honorably discharged in 1963 with the rank of Staff Sergeant. After his graduation, he entered academia and became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS). As a boarded surgeon, he taught equine surgery for 16 years at the University of Pennsylvania New Bolton Center, Iowa State University (MS), Kansas State University, Auburn University and the University of Missouri. Over the course of his career, Dr. Johnson became known as a pioneer in equine veterinary medicine.

A close friend of Dr. Alex Harthill, during the 1970's, they worked closely together in Louisville on numerous occasions to test various medical and technological innovations. In the 1970s, he also cared for Grand Prix jumpers and many high-level Thoroughbred athletes, including Bold Ruler, Unbridled, Cigar, Fantastic Light and Tepin. Through Dr. Harthill, Dr. Johnson has been credited with introducing what is now known as Lasix (furosemide) to prevent pulmonary bleeding in Thoroughbred racehorses.

In 1979, Dr. Johnson entered private practice in Lexington, Kentucky. He focused on Thoroughbred racehorses and related surgeries, including arthroscopic and laser procedures. His expertise in equine laser surgery of the throat is recognized throughout North America. From the early 1970's to 2019, Dr. Johnson worked tirelessly to convince Tennessee Walking Horse connections to eliminate the practice of "soring.”

He also conducted field trial studies for many pharmaceutical companies and served on the KY Equine Drug Research Council. His work even helped develop a new treatment for ulcers, now known as Merial's GastroGard. Licensed in numerous states, he served on arbitration panels for Thoroughbred auction companies and, for 40 years, he also practiced in Jamaica and advised their Thoroughbred industry. In 2001, he spent a month in Dubai and headed up the veterinary team in charge of quarantine for the Dubai World Cup.

Dr. Johnson lectured around the globe, authored chapters in veterinary textbooks, and had articles published in the American Association of Equine Practitioners Proceedings, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, and Journal of Equine Medicine. He was a member of the AVMA, AAEP, ACVS, NAARV, KVMA, KAEP, FAEP, The Thoroughbred Club and The Keeneland Club.

Dr. Johnson is survived by his wife, Patricia White Johnson; daughters, Julee Johnson and Kaitlyn Hildenbrand (Maury); longtime friend, Jo Ann Johnson; sister-in-law, Barbara White Crockett; nieces, Jennifer Knight (Mark) and Elizabeth Erickson (Nils) (daughters of his late sister-in-law, Jacqueline White), nephew, Major Roy B. Crockett; USMC (Anais); adopted daughter Elizabeth Connolly (Jim); and grandchildren, Juel, Ty, Alexa, Ashley, Christopher, and John. He left behind his beloved dog Bella, his rescue Thoroughbreds, his catfish pond, several John Deere tractors and over 200 John Deere toys.