Even though no one could place his accent, (it was his own unique dialect, really) “Doc” Ron Fessler was born in Des Moines, Iowa on May 29, 1942. He was captain of the rifle team in college and went on to graduate with honors at Iowa State School of Veterinary Medicine, class of ’67. That began a life of selfless service to animals that spanned 3 states and more than 50 years. As a vet, he ministered to horses, donkeys, mules, dogs, cats, quail, and he even traveled to the occasional circus elephant when the call came in for that. Over the years he worked with million-dollar racehorses at Castleton Farm in Lexington, Ky. as well as backyard ponies tucked along the winding roads of Virginia, and he treated them all with the same importance. His hands were deft at field surgery when wounds required that, and his stitches rarely left scars. Most of his clients remember that he commonly prescribed honey as a topical anti-bacterial treatment for cuts on their equine friends. He was widely known for his expertise as the man to call when it came to everything related to baby horses, and he loved seeing new foals enter the world. It was not uncommon for him to care for these animals all the way up to their final day, sometimes 20 or 30 some years later. He received outstanding service awards in 2012 from the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association and in 2018 from the American Association of Equine Practitioners. Over the years, he mentored many senior-level vet students from Virginia Tech. Ron was a voracious reader. He was a history buff, especially about the Civil War, Thomas Jefferson, and the Lewis and Clark expedition.  Any books having to do with botany and nature interested him and he was an accomplished gardener. He enjoyed travel, hunting and fishing, and attending NASCAR races. He was an avid Green Bay Packers fan. He delighted in the wonders of nature, relished in seeing brilliant sunsets, and was especially drawn to nurturing anything tender and wee, no matter the hour. He was the center of the party anywhere he went, generally wearing the boldest shirt, often with a whimsical tie, telling hilarious stories. He was among the best of men, a hero and a legend. Ron would proudly say that he’d done something not everyone can say they’d done: “I married the girl next door!” He and his wife, Karen, were married 59 years. He is survived by her; their two sons; and four grandchildren: Curren (wife Charlene, grandsons Brandon, Alex, and Charlie) and Adam (wife Jennifer, granddaughter Lily.) Many pets miss him, too. The family plans an outdoor celebration of life on April 23, 2022. If you care to make a gift in Doc’s memory, please consider Brook Hill Farm in Goode, VA, an equine rescue and rehabilitation center which he helped found, or give to your favorite animal rescue. Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, Bedford, 540-586-7360.