Dr. Max Rodibaugh, 69, passed away on Thursday, May 19, at his home in Frankfort, Ind., surrounded by his wife and children.
Well known for his contributions to swine veterinary medicine, Rodibaugh’s career and dedication to his profession culminated in many industry awards of his lifetime. Most recently, he received the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) Heritage Award, a peer-nominated award for lifelong outstanding achievements in swine medicine. He is only the sixth recipient of the award in the history of the organization.
With a lifetime of service to the AASV, Rodibaugh served on multiple committees, on the Board of Directors, and as the association’s president in 1995. In 2001, he was recognized as the AASV Swine Practitioner of the Year. He presented the Howard Dunne Memorial Lecture at the 2001 AASV Annual Meeting. His personal and inspirational story, “Life Upside Down: Is it possible to be prepared for a personal crisis?,” received the top prize during the practice tip session at the 2021 AASV Annual Meeting. His service to the swine industry has truly been selfless, AASV said.
The second of seven children, Rodibaugh was born Sept. 11, 1952 to John A. “Jack” and Emily Rodibaugh in Rensselaer, Ind., where he grew up on a pig farm and chased after his passions of long-distance running, 4-H and FFA. He graduated from Rensselaer High School in 1970, obtained a degree in general agriculture in 1974 from Purdue University, followed by his DVM from Purdue in 1977. During his time at Purdue, he was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, the livestock judging team, and served as the Indiana FFA State President his freshman year. He has since been recognized as a distinguished alumnus of both the Purdue School of Agriculture and Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine.
Rodibaugh was known for his generosity. He was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Frankfort, where he participated on several committees and the church’s leadership council. He also served the broader Clinton County community through the United Way Board of Directors and as Board President.
He was known for his smile and constant presence in the lives of his three children and seven grandchildren. He is survived by his wife, Carol and children Paul (Natalie) of Bloomington, Ind., Todd (Lynn) of Carmel, Ind., and Leslie (Daniel) Stauffer of Wabash, Ind. Also surviving are his mother, Emily, brothers David (Danita), Jim (Teri), John (Debbie), Steven (Shannon) and sisters Betsy (Kerry) Keffaber and Peggy (Rick) Goodman. He was preceded in death by his father Jack.
Visitation will be held Thursday, May 26 from 2-8 p.m. EDT at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 2029 State Rd 39, Frankfort, IN 46041. A memorial service will take place Friday, May 27 at 10:30 am EDT at Goodwin Funeral Home, 200 S Main St, Frankfort, IN 46041 and will also be available via Livestream, a link will be available on goodwinfuneralhome.com. Private family burial will be held at Bunnell Cemetery, Frankfort, IN.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to United Way of Clinton County, PO Box 871 Frankfort, IN 46041, The Max and Carol Rodibaugh Family Veterinary Scholarship, 403 W Wood St, West Lafayette, IN 47907 or online at connect.purdue.edu/imomaxrodibaugh, and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 2029 State Rd 39, Frankfort, IN 46041.
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