Retired Illinois equine veterinarian Joe Foerner has passed away. He was 75.

Foerner was a graduate of the University of Illinois and the University of Pennsylvania, where he served his internship in equine surgery. He was a partner at the highly regarded Illinois Equine Hospital in Naperville, Ill. During his partial retirement, Foerner was a surgical instructor at University of Wisconsin Veterinary School and consultant at Critter Care. He also served as a consultant to the Brookfield and Lincoln Park Zoos, Shedd Aquarium, all in Chicago, as well as the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus in Washington, D.C.

Foerner was a diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, where he had served as president, chairman of the Board, as well as Regent. He held memberships in the AVMA and AAEP, as well as the Illinois State VMA, where he had served on several committees and presented many convention programs. He had been invited to share his expertise at more than 70 national and international conferences and seminars, and has been published numerous times in various journals on equine and wildlife medicine. He is an internationally recognized authority on horses. He had been called in on multiple elephant cases that needed his expertise and stature. He has been the only person to perform c-sections on elephants and the first to perform elephant castrations.

Foener was awarded the coveted American Veterinary Medical Association Practitioner Research Award in 1997.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, 2016, at Dunn Family Funeral Home with Crematory, 1801 Douglas Rd, Oswego, IL 60543. The body remain in repose from 9 a.m. until the 10 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 901 N. Center St., Plano, IL 60545.

Memorials can be made to either CSU College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Science (Orthopedic Research Center), Office of Advancement, 1680 Campus Delivery, Ft. Collins, CO 80523; or Marmion Academy, 1000 Butterfield Rd., Aurora, IL 60502; or Aurora Central Catholic Heritage Fund, 1255 N. Edgelawn Dr., Aurora, IL 60506.

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