In Memory: Dr. Ralph Anderson (PU DVM ’76)

May 14, 2021

The Purdue Veterinary Medicine family is saddened to learn of the passing of alumnus Ralph R. “Doc” Anderson of Logansport, Ind. The beloved veterinarian and former Cass County commissioner died unexpectedly Saturday, May 8, at Logansport Memorial Hospital.  He was 69.

A Lafayette, Ind. native, Dr. Anderson followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, uncle, father, and older brother as he pursued a career in veterinary medicine, earning his DVM degree at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1976.  After graduation, Dr. Anderson was hired by a veterinary practice in Ohio.

In 1980, he opened his own practice, the Animal Hospital of Logansport, with a focus on small animals and horses.  As the business grew, Dr. Anderson found he no longer had time to go out on field calls and gave up the equine component of his practice.  He was assisted by his wife, Connie, who worked with him in the practice every day.

Known as a local leader with a huge heart for Cass County, Dr. Anderson is remembered as someone who touched the lives of both two-legged and four-legged friends during his career, making people smile through his work in Civic Players of Logansport and investing 28 years of public service as a township trustee, a county councilman, and a commissioner.  A member of the Cass County Republicans, Dr. Anderson also served as a political campaign manager for many candidates.  He particularly enjoyed paying tribute to veterans during the annual Memorial Day and Veterans Day parades, giving many patriotic speeches.

In commemorating Logansport’s 175th Anniversary, Dr. Anderson produced the film, “The Birth of a City” in conjunction with the Cass County Historical Society – another organization that he supported. Additionally, during Indiana’s Bicentennial Celebration, Dr. Anderson served as a torchbearer.

A Boy Scout leader and avid reader, Dr. Anderson is remembered most of all as one who loved spending time with his family. Dr. Anderson was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Monticello.

A funeral service celebrating Dr. Anderson’s life will be held at 7:00 p.m. Sunday, May 16, at the Fisher Funeral Chapel in Logansport.  Friends will be received prior to the service from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m. 

Click here to view a complete obituary, with information about ways to make memorial gifts in lieu of flowers.  Additionally, memories, photos, and condolences may be shared on the tribute wall at www.fisherfuneralchapel.com.

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

Recent Stories

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

This week, we are proud to recognize Lorraine Fox, who is a business assistant with the Veterinary Medicine Procurement Center.

PVM Interview Days Move College Closer to Admitting the DVM Class of 2030

After a total of three afternoons dedicated to conducting in-person interviews with 226 prospective veterinary students, the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine is close to completing the process of admitting 84 members of the incoming first-year DVM class – the Class of 2030.  The students invited for the interview days were selected from a total pool of 1,930 applicants from across the country as well as countries abroad.

Experts to Gather at Purdue for Conference Addressing the Public Health Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance

The ongoing challenges posed by multi-drug resistant infections will be the focus of a multidisciplinary conference taking place in three weeks at Purdue University.  The Fourth Annual Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance is set for February 25–26, 2026 at Purdue’s Stewart Center in West Lafayette. Registration is still open for the event, which will bring together scientists and scholars from human and veterinary medicine, public health, research, and industry to address the determinants, dynamics and deterrence of drug resistance.

PVM’s Upcoming Coppoc One Health Lecture to Focus on Dogs as Sentinels of Environmental Exposure

The Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine brings a leading One Health scholar to campus each year to address vital health issues from a One Health perspective as part of the Coppoc One Health Lecture series.  This year’s presentation, scheduled for February 26 in Lynn Hall Room 2026, is on the engaging topic, “One Health at Home: Dogs as Sentinels of Environmental Exposure.” The speaker will be Audrey Ruple, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVPM, MRCVS, the Dorothy A. and Richard G. Metcalf Professor of Veterinary Medical Informatics at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech.

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

Today we are happy to acknowledge our Student Success Center Team.

One Health: A ‘digital twin’ model for predicting cancer outcomes

The striking similarities between invasive bladder cancer in dogs and humans have fueled research advances for more than three decades. Most of that work has looked at separate aspects of the disease — risk factors, early detection, symptoms, treatment and gene expression. But a new project at Purdue University that combines many types of available data in a “digital twin” model of bladder cancer may prove powerful enough to predict patient outcomes, starting with the probability of metastasis.

Purdue Professor Emeritus Bill Blevins Wins Lifetime Achievement Award at ACVR Annual Meeting

The American College of Veterinary Radiology (ACVR) gave its esteemed Lifetime Achievement Award for 2024 to Purdue Professor Emeritus Bill Blevins, who is well known to countless Purdue Veterinary Medicine alumni for the expertise he taught them about all things Diagnostic Imaging during his long Purdue career.