James Roberts Richards

Dr. JAMES ROBERT RICHARDS, DVM passed away Tuesday, April 24, 2007 at Wilson Memorial Hospital as the result of a motorcycle accident on Sunday. "Jim" was born July 19, 1948 at Richmond, Indiana a son of Marion Todd Richards of Ithaca and the late Robert Richards. Jim was graduated from Berea College with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and was a teaching Assistant at Ohio State University where he also graduated Cum Laude from the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He was a practicing veterinarian from 1979 to 1991 when he came to Cornell University as the Assistant Director of the Cornell Feline Health Center, being named Director to the Cornell Feline Center in 1997. Jim was a member and past President of the American Association of Feline Practitioners, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the New York State Veterinary Medical Society, the Association of Shelter Veterinarians and the Cat Writers Association. Holding numerous professional memberships, Jim was involved in every angle of Feline Medicine as well as being the author of the ASPCA Complete Guide to Cats and many other veterinary papers, letters and articles. He was a member of the Bethel Grove Bible Church. Jim touched many hearts along his way not only in his work at Cornell but with many individuals around the globe.

Surviving in addition to his mother are his wife, Anita Fox Richards of Dryden; his sons, Jesse Richards, a medical student in Medical College and Seth Richards, a senior at Grove City College, Grove City, PA; nieces and nephews.

A Memorial service will be held at 2 PM Saturday, April 28, 2007 at the Bethel Grove Bible Church, 1763 Slaterville Rd., Ithaca, NY. Burial will be private in Virgil Rural Cemetery, Virgil, NY. Those who wish to honor Jim’s life through a memorial gift may send donations in his memory to: Cornell Feline Health Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Box 13, Ithaca, NY 14853. Perkins Funeral Home assisted the family.