Former Sinclair Farm Director
Passes Away

Charles “Bud” Middleton, DVM ’58, passed away on Dec. 11, 2010, in Tarpon Springs, Fla., at the age of 80. Dr. Middleton was born April 12, 1930, in Pilot Point, Texas. With his family he moved to Ashland, Mo., in 1937.

After serving his country in the U.S. Navy from 1948-1952, Dr. Middleton was graduated from the University of Missouri School (later College) of Veterinary Medicine in 1958. After completing an internship at the University of Pennsylvania, he went on to Michigan State University where he earned a master’s degree in veterinary surgery. He then became an instructor at Bowman-Gray School of Medicine where he became engaged in research on atherosclerosis using a squirrel monkey model. He earned board certification in laboratory animal medicine in 1966 and that same year accepted a position as director of the University of Missouri’s newly formed Sinclair Research Farm, a facility he built from the ground up. He was a professor of pathology for both MU’s College of Veterinary Medicine and the School of Medicine. He pioneered the use of swine as animal models for several human diseases.

After his career at MU, he became chief veterinary medical office for the Veterans Administration. In 1985 he was named director of the Division of Laboratory Animal Resources at the State University of New York, Stony Brook. He retired in 1997 and relocated to Tarpon Springs with his wife.

He is survived by his wife, Rose Fernandes-Middleton of the home, daughter, Terra Middleton of Saybrook, Conn., stepson, Michgael Scheer of Encino, Calif., grandsons: Brandon Middleton of Las Vegas and Devin Lehart of Fort Myers, Fla., and sisters: Nancy Thompson of Turlock, Calif., Priscilla Coonce of Kansas City, and Sarah Sides of Florissant, Mo.

Dr. Middleton was a devoted alumnus of the University of Missouri and served on the MU Faculty Council and numerous other committees. As a longtime friend of the Sinclair family, he was instrumental in having the MU School of Nursing renamed the Charles and Josie Smith Sinclair School of Nursing. He was also the driving force behind the initiative to have members of the CVM Class of ’58 pool their resources to present the College of Veterinary Medicine with two plaques honoring founding Dean Dr. A.H. Groth and Dr. Stanley N. Smith. The plaques are on display at the college.

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