Wolfgang O. Sack

Obituary
WOLFGANG O. SACK
Wolfgang O. Sack, 77, Cornell Professor emer-itus, College of Veterinary Medicine, died of heart disease on June 21, 2005 at Cayuga Medical Center. He was born on March 17, 1928 in Leipzig, Germany, to the late Oskar Willi Sack and his wife Martel. Growing up in the eastern part of Germany and in Berlin, he emigrated in 1951 to Canada where he studied Veterinary Medicine in Guelph, Ontario, and received the D.V.M. degree from the University of Toronto.This was followed by 2 years of veterinary practice in Chicago, IL, and a teaching position at Guelph in the Dept. of Veterinary Anatomy. He received the Ph.D. degree from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland), and the degree of Dr.med.vet. from the Maximilian-University in Munich based on a dissertation & examinations while on sabbatical leave at that institution.Dr. Sack came to Cornell in 1964 & taught veterinary students the anatomy of farm animals for many years, utilizing non-teaching time principally for writing. He is author or co-author of five books on the anatomy of domestic animals of which the last one (Textbook of Veterinary Anatomy) co-authored with two European colleagues, has been translated into five languages. He also produced a series of video demonstations on the anatomy of the live horse.Dr. Sack was President of the American Association of Veterinary Anatomists and received the associations highest honor in 1982. He was Secretary-General & President of the World Association of Veterinary Anatomists for a total of 12 years. Before coming to Cornell, he was a guest professor at the Justus-Liebig-University in Giessen, Germany; & while he spent a sabbatical year at the Maximilian-University in Munich in 1970 he was invited to be external examiner in veterinary anatomy at the University of Nairobi in Kenya. He was a member of 3 International Committees on Veterinary Anatomical Nomenclature & Chair of one dealing with veterinary embryology. At Cornell, he served on both university & faculty com-mittees.He was very fond of classical music & of playing it with others. He found strength & peace by working in his garden.Dr. Sack is survived by his sons, Christopher V. and Kevin W. Sack both of Syracuse, NY, by Kevin's wife Irene (Turtschin) Sack, by his grandson Jacob Sack; by his sister Christa (Sack) Jaworski of Munich; & his ex-wife, S. Lorraine Sack, Syracuse.Dr. Sack has donated his body to the University of Syracuse for the anatomical training of future physicians. A private burial of his remains is planned for a future date.In lieu of flowers, contributions in his emory may be made to the American Heart Association.A memorial service is planned to be held at the University he cared so much about. Details to be announced later.