DVM '65, PhD '76

The fall of '59 through Spring of '62. House president '60,

Middle room second floor, Roommates included Jim Haynes, Richard Garland, Phil Walker,

When I was a first year Pre-Vet Student, we poured the sidewalk right along the street in front of the house as well as a connecting short sidewalk from the new one to the regular existing one. Shortly after pouring the new concrete, I came out of the house in a run off the porch (I was probably late for class) and stepped right in the fresh concrete. Two steps as I remember it, but grabbed a trowel and smoothed it out before going on to class. For the rest of that year I was referred to as "Twinkle Toes Thacker".

After Vet School, I went to Kentucky to practice, worked in mixed animal (large and small animals) or two vets in Campbellsville, KY for 2 years then bought half of a 2 man mixed practice in Cynthiana, KY; worked there for 5 years then sold the practice and moved back to Lafayette where I was a graduate student in veterinary pathology for four years and one semester at which time I was awarded the PhD degree, After receiving the PhD I stayed on at Purdue working as an anatomic pathologist. In '83 had the opportunity to go to Australia on sabbatical leave. In '85 was promoted to full professor in the Vet School and appointed Director of the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratories. In the late '90's I was given 2 jobs but only one salary having been appointed Head of the Department of Pathobiology in the School of Vet Med as well as Director of ADDL. I agreed to that dual appointment initially for 6 months but that turned out to extend to 6 years. I retired the first time '08 and the second in '11.

I lived very economically (cheap), lived with a great group of guys, learned a bit of how to cook from Ms. McCain and was grateful for the provision of the opportunity by the Church of the Brethren.

My hometown was Worthington, IN, live now on the east outskirts of Lafayette, IN and in the interim lived and practiced mixed animal veterinary medicine in Campbellsville, KY and 5 years in Chnthiana, KY.