Richard Erling Corstvet

Richard Erling Corstvet was born on October 12, 1928 in Big Bend, WI to Thomas Corstvet and Mary Margaret Casey Corstvet. He had two brothers, Phillip and Robert, both of whom are deceased. He also had two sisters, Patricia who is deceased and Catherine (Betty) who survives him. On June 18, 1954 he married Ruth Schneeweis who died in 2012. They were married for over fifty years and had three children, Lisa, Susan, and James who also survive him. He received his BS degree from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He continued his education, receiving a doctorate of veterinary microbiology from the University of California at Davis. Dr. Richard E. Corstvet passed away on October 18, 2014. Dr. Corstvet was on the CVM faculty at Oklahoma State University from 1965 until 1981. He taught veterinary microbiology and conducted research. One of his major interests was in bovine respiratory disease (BRD). He and Dr. Roger Panciera developed a model for testing the immune response of cattle to vaccines aimed at protecting cattle form BRD. After leaving OSU, Dr. Corstvet joined Louisiana State University working on the Baton Rouge campus until he retired at the age of 79. He along with four others received a patent for a vaccine for E.canis. He was a tireless worker both at his profession and in other aspects of his life. He loved spending time out of doors with his cattle and horses. Even his hobbies were work intensive. He spent his last two years in Oklahoma where he died at home with his family around him. His family would like to thank the hospice workers from Epworth At Home who made it possible for him to spend his last days in his home and in comfort. He is survived by his children and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. It's difficult to sum up a life such as Richard's in a paragraph or two. He was definitely a person of great intellect with an enormous work ethic. He was also a person who went his own way and wasn't too worried about "fitting in or going with the flow". He was a person that won't soon be forgotten by those who knew and loved him. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Richard Erling Corstvet please visit our Sympathy Store.