The Purdue Veterinary Medicine community is deeply saddened to learn that Dr. Gerald D. Bottoms, a longtime faculty member and Professor Emeritus of Veterinary Physiology, passed away on February 24, 2026. He was 95.
Raised in the small farming community of Holdenville, Oklahoma, Dr. Bottoms joined the Oklahoma National Guard at the age of 16, when he was a high school sophomore. He served in the Korean Conflict as a Sergeant First Class and earned a Bronze Star for his meritorious service. As a result of serving in the military, he was able to use the GI Bill to fund his education.
Dr. Bottoms pursued a career dedicated to education. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biology at East Central Oklahoma State University (now East Central University) in 1955, and went on to receive his master’s and PhD degrees in physiology at Oklahoma State University in 1959 and 1966 respectively. Along with his wife Maxine, he taught at Holdenville High School from 1955 to 1963. After earning his PhD, he joined the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine faculty in 1966 as an assistant professor in what was then the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (now part of the Department of Basic Medical Sciences). He also served as an assistant dean of the Graduate School.
During his Purdue career, Dr. Bottoms authored numerous published articles, lectured internationally, obtained extensive research grants and mentored graduate students. His outstanding service was recognized when he received the college’s Alumni Faculty Award for Excellence. Upon retirement in 1998 he was honored with the title of Professor Emeritus of Veterinary Physiology.
In 2009, Dr. Bottoms shared an oral history, which is part of the Purdue University Libraries Archives and Special Collections. The 55 minute interview and a transcript are available here. As part of the interview, Dr. Bottoms recalled when he first visited Purdue on what he described as a beautiful day in February 1966. “It was cool and crisp and the sun was shining and I had a great visit to Purdue. I met Dr. [Gerald] Goetsch, who was the head of the department at that time, and spent a lot of time with him and other members of the department. Things just really looked very nice at Purdue – the campus is beautiful, and the …veterinary school was very new at that time…” He remembered calling his wife, Maxine, and sharing how much he liked things, explaining to her, “…if they offer me a job, I think we should seriously consider it.” Within a few weeks he was offered a position, and so began a Purdue career that would span 32 years.
After retiring, Dr. Bottoms settled in Cedar Hill, Texas, where he continued to live life fully. Beyond his academic achievements and military honors, Dr. Bottoms was regarded as an incredible handyman and mechanic – there was little he couldn’t fix. He also had a passion for flying and became a private pilot, which gave him both freedom and joy in the skies.
In his oral history, Dr. Bottoms shared that he was able to take flight lessons at the Purdue airport. “And I guess, one of the happiest days of my life…was the day that I soloed,” Dr. Bottoms said. “My wife and my mother-in-law were there…they had happened to just come up to watch me fly. We are standing at the airport and some of my children, they saw me solo and so that was the highlight in my career.” Dr. Bottoms said he used his flying skills a lot and he described flying as “…the best therapy in the world.”
A proud father and a devoted grandfather, Dr. Bottoms, above all, loved life. He enjoyed travel, cherished his children and family, and found joy in spending time with loved ones. He is remembered for his warm smile that could light up a room, and his gentle spirit that left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him.
Dr. Bottoms will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and ever honored by those whose lives he touched.
In 2002, Dr. and Mrs. Bottoms created the “Gerald and Maxine Bottoms Graduate Research Assistantship” to support doctoral graduate research assistants who show an interest in basic medical sciences at the College of Veterinary Medicine. The family asks that gifts in Dr. Bottoms’ memory be made to the fund.
