Dr. Joseph Herzog (Wisconsin ’97), 58, Kailua, Hawaii, died April 13 , 2020 of metastatic prostate cancer. Twelve years ago, Dr. Herzog moved to Oahu when his wife became a professor in Humanities and English UH West Oahu. He first worked at VCA Family and Oahu Veterinary Specialty Center, and then moved closer to home in Kailua at Makai Animal Hospital and part-time at Surf Paws Animal Hospital in Hawaii Kai.
Dr. Herzog was deeply involved in establishing, building, teaching in, and gaining AVMA accreditation for the first and only Veterinary Technician training program and associates degree in the state. In March 2020, the program dedicated the surgery suite in his honor.
He was active in the local veterinary community and volunteered at the Hawaii Humane Society. He served on the Board of the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association as an Oahu Representative from 2018-2020, and Conference Committee member since 2017.
Dr. Joe always said he would see anything a client could bring through the door, and he treated beloved chickens, parrots, tortoises, and the occasional pot-bellied pig and pygmy goat in clinic. However, throughout his career he also treated bigger exotics. He served as the on-call veterinarian at the Santa Barbara Zoo and San Francisco Zoo, and he was the veterinarian of record for the Sea Life Park/Mauna Lani honu breeding and release program. He always enjoyed the challenge of a new animal and facing a new disease or injury.
Dr. Herzog is survived by his wife, Brenda Machosky, mother Rose Marie Farthing, father Ernest Herzog (Terry), brother Thomas Herzog (Jeff Kaufmann), and extended family in Illinois, New York and Virginia. He was predeceased by his beloved grandmother, Stella King, and step-father Howard Farthing. He is also survived by beloved dogs Bella, Potiki, and Fenway, and cats Huika and KoaKat.
Services will be announced at a later date. There is a memorial Facebook page that all are welcome to join: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1049974025388957/
Donations: Payable to UH Foundation with memo: Dr. Herzog Vet Tech Endowment, Account #206-2860-3, mailed to Donna Gutierrez, UH Foundation, 1314 S. King Street, Suite B, Honolulu, HI 96814, or online at: www.uhfoundation.org/HonoringDrHerzog
Submitted by Brenda Machosky
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