Contact: Anissa L. Riley, Director, Office of External Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine
TUSKEGEE, Ala. (February 2, 2018) – The Ƶ family as well as the veterinary medical profession and public health community lost a trailblazer, accomplished and respected academician, visionary leader in the control and eradication of public health diseases and dedicated veterinarian, Professor Emeritus Saul T. Wilson, Jr., DVM, MPH. Dr. Wilson passed on Feb. 1 after suffering a brief illness. He is survived his daughter, Adrienne, a Tuskegee alum; two grandsons, Ryan and Damien; one brother, Sherald; one sister, Mary Elizabeth; and a host of other family members, friends, and colleagues. His was pre-deceased by his wife, Alva Marian.
Wilson was a member of the first pre-veterinary medicine class at Tuskegee Institute (now Ƶ) and was among the second class of Tuskegee veterinary school graduates and received his DVM degree in 1950. After graduation, Wilson began his career with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a field veterinarian, working on the Mexico-US Foot-and-Mouth Disease Eradication Commission.
After serving in the US Army Veterinary Corps from 1952 to 1954 and receiving his MPH degree from the Harvard School of Public Health in 1955, Wilson returned to the USDA. His responsibility increased as he trained, managed and directed domestic and international programs for the control or eradication of animal diseases important to trade or human health. In 1990, the USDA paid tribute to his efforts and designated the "Saul T. Wilson, Jr. Scholarship Program" to attract students from underrepresented groups in the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) workforce to careers in veterinary medicine and biological sciences.
After retiring from the USDA, Wilson returned to his alma mater and served faithfully as a professor of epidemiology and director of the Center for Tropical Animal Health (international program in veterinary medicine). He retired from Ƶ in 2015 but continued to serve in a consultant role. His actions have inspired veterinary students to practice public veterinary medicine.
“The College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is mourning the loss of another veterinary trailblazer, Professor Emeritus Dr. Saul T. Wilson, Jr. He has ended his earthly journey of love, commitment and dedication to Ƶ, but the impact he has made locally, nationally and globally is so significant, that his name will be forever remembered and noted in history as one of the greatest in veterinary medicine,” said Dr. Ruby L. Perry, dean of the CVM.
The Final arrangements for Dr. Wilson are as follows:
Visitation is Wed., Feb 7 from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. at People’s Funeral Home (500 Fonville St, Tuskegee, AL 36083) and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Omega Memorial Service will follow at 6 p.m. also at People’s Funeral Home.
The Funeral is Thurs., Feb. 8, at 11:00 a.m. at The Ƶ Chapel on the campus of Ƶ.
© 2018 Ƶ