Dr. Richard Max ZIRKLE

SAN ANGELO — Dr. Richard Max Zirkle was born August 21, 1918, in Van Wert, Ohio, the son of Margaret E. (Greer) and Samuel E. Zirkle. He was one of four brothers and two sisters. He attended schools in Defiance, Ohio, and graduated from Ohio State University in 1940 with a degree in veterinary medicine. He was drafted in the United States Army and was transferred to the San Angelo Remount Station from Fort Reno, Okla. Dr. Zirkle and Margaret Ellen Jones were married on December 31, 1943. During World War II, he served with the remount service and was stationed in India and China. On return to the States, he established a large animal veterinary practice here in San Angelo. Doc, as he was called by many, was known for his sometimes old-fashioned, unorthodox treatments of large animals. In 1960, Dr. Zirkle graduated magna cum laude from St. Mary's Law School in San Antonio. He served as head veterinarian at the Department of Agriculture station here for many years and was an acknowledged expert on diseases of sheep, cattle and horses. Doc was a living piece of history. Dr. Zirkle was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret Ellen; and two brothers. He is survived by his brother, Samuel Zirkle of Erie, Pa.; and his two sisters, Mary Zirkle of Defiance, Ohio, and Katie Schwartz of Albuquerque, N.M. He is also survived by his four daughters, Renny Wendnagel, Margaret (Oscar) Unger, Mary (Daniel) Sponhaltz, and Martha (Glenn) Putnam; seven grandchildren, Trent Unger, Kurt Unger, Eric Sponhaltz, Clayton Sponhaltz, Elizabeth Ratliff, Jill Toole and Carl Wendnagel; and five great-grandchildren. Our family would like to express our gratitude to Sue Manning and Alma Helton for the loving care they gave our father. We would also like to extend our gratitude to Sam Morales and Elizabeth Martinez. Graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 7, 2007, in Fairmount Cemetery. The family would like to extend thanks to Hospice of San Angelo. Memorials may be directed to Hospice of San Angelo.

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