In Memory: Dr. Elizabeth “Liz” (Diesch) Holmes (PU DVM ’83)

May 26, 2023

The Purdue Veterinary Medicine community is saddened to learn that alumna and long-time Lafayette-area veterinarian, Dr. Elizabeth “Liz” (Diesch) Holmes, of West Lafayette, passed away on Saturday, April 29, at her home. She was 71.

A native of Northbrook, Illinois, Dr. Holmes completed her undergraduate studies at DePauw University, graduating in 1973 with a bachelor’s in mathematics. She then worked for a few years in actuarial sciences before enrolling in the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. After earning her DVM degree in 1983, she entered private practice in the Lafayette, Indiana area, where she spent her entire veterinary career, becoming the founder and owner of Petsburgh Pet Care. She retired in 2022 after serving pets and their humans for nearly 40 years. Dr. Holmes and her veterinary staff also were known for rescuing, treating, and finding homes for many stray dogs and cats.

An avid gardener, Dr. Holmes had a profound love of the natural world and the creatures that inhabit it. With a passion for exploration that fed her pursuit of lifelong learning, she also loved traveling with her husband and daughters.

No public memorial service was planned. Memorial contributions may be made to The Nature Conservancy in Dr. Holmes’ memory. Click here to view a complete obituary and to leave a message or share a memory.

Writer(s): Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Recent Stories

“Paws Up” for Jennifer Danaher – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

This week we express our gratitude to Jennifer Danaher, who is department secretary for Veterinary Clinical Sciences.

‘Purdue Pursuits’: A PVM angle on Purdue’s teaching and learning reading groups

Crafting meaningful and engaging course experiences has been at the top of Dielson Vieira’s mind ever since he joined the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine’s faculty in 2024. As a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Vieira is already adept at applying innovative teaching practices to classroom environments, but that doesn’t stop him from seeking out new ideas, approaches and perspectives — insights he gains through outlets like Purdue’s teaching and learning reading groups.

Top tier biology journal publishes PVM study that unlocks secrets of a drug-resistant fungal pathogen, which causes serious infections in humans

Though the name “Candida auris” is far from a household term, public health experts know it well because the multi-drug-resistant fungal pathogen, which causes serious human infections, has been classified as an urgent threat by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Antibiotic Threats Report (2019). Dr. Shankar Thangamani, Associate Professor of Microbiology and University Faculty Scholar in the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology, is researching C. auris, aided by a 2.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). New research findings, just published in Nature Microbiology, show how C. auris adapts and evades the immune system.

In Print: ‘Translational Research Methods for Tauopathies’

A just-published 300-page volume edited by Jessica Fortin, Purdue assistant professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Basic Medical Sciences, provides a significant new resource for researchers studying a group of neurodegenerative diseases known as tauopathies. “Translational Research Methods for Tauopathies” provides detailed protocols intentionally selected to serve as a basis for research laboratories seeking to further treatments for such debilitating neurodegenerative diseases as Alzheimer’s and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

It’s Almost Here!

Though the annual Purdue Veterinary Conference is almost upon us, there’s still time to register and take advantage of this time-honored College of Veterinary Medicine fall tradition that combines excellent continuing education with fun opportunities for reconnecting with colleagues and classmates, networking, and learning about the latest veterinary trends and products. The 2026 Purdue Veterinary Conference takes place September 23–26 on the Purdue University campus. The annual event has something for everyone, from veterinarians to veterinary technicians, faculty, staff and students.