Professor Emeritus David C. Van Sickle

David C. Van Sickle, 80, of West Lafayette, Ind., died March 20, 2014, at Creasy Springs Health Campus.

Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Saturday, March 29, at Powers Funeral Home, junction of highways 25 and 34, Creston. The Rev. Jim Morris will officiate. Burial will be in Graceland Cemetery with military honors conducted by Theodore J. Martins V.F.W. post No. 1797. Memorials may be given in Dr. Van Sickle's memory to the Dr. David Van Sickle Endowment for Muscular Skeletal Research., CO of Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine Development Office. Online condolences may be left at www.powersfh.com.

David C. Van Sickle, son of Henrietta (Kaiser) and Harold Van Sickle, was born Jan. 9, 1934, in Des Moines.  He was raised by his aunt and uncle Jess and Anna Hill in Marathon from the age of 7.

David graduated from Marathon High School and received his DVM from Iowa State University in 1957.

David worked as a veterinarian in Shannon, Ill., from 1957 to 1961.

David was in United States Air Force and Inactive Reserve from 1958, until retiring in 1982 as a colonel.

David received his PhD in 1966 from Purdue Univeristy. David was professor and  head of the Department of Basic Medical Sciences and taught veterinary and medical students histology. Van Sickle retired in 2009.

David was a recipient of many awards and honors and was a member of numerous academic, professional and scholarly societies. David mentored many Master and PhD students while at Purdue.  He authored and co-authored many articles, book chapters and scientific abstracts. Dr. Van Sickle established the Bone and Articulation Research Laboratory in the School of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue Univeristy.  Research was conducted in Preclinical orthopedic device testing and musculoskeletal theories that were funded by several government and industrial grants and contracts. He presented many  scientific research papers nationally  and internationally.

Dr. Van Sickle was a member of the American Legion Post 492 in West Lafayette.

David married Aneta Smid, and she preceded him in death in September 2000.

David is survived by his sister Dorothy Erickson (Keith) of Olathe, Kan.; niece Melissa Helverik-Bing (Roger) of Orlando, Fla., and several cousins.