From Classmates to Soulmates
Going from classmates to soulmates, Mark Gendzier, D.V.M., and Virginia (Ginny) Quelch, D.V.M., UF College of Veterinary Medicine are class of ’87 alumni who met in their first year and married on graduation day. They still work side-by-side, and each is quicker to tell you about the other’s achievement than their own.
Considering the intertwining of their lives and profession, their ongoing commitment and relationship to UF is not surprising. In fact, they hold the longest record as supporters of the college, which continues to hold a very warm place in their hearts.
“The college was extraordinarily meaningful to us. It launched us to where we are now,” Mark said.
Each came to veterinary medicine from a different approach. Ginny, who showed quarter horses, always wanted to become a veterinarian, earning a master’s degree in microbiology at UF. Mark studied math at Brandeis University before coming to UF. Mark was in the restaurant business and decided to return to college at UF.
Practice Makes Perfect
Mark and Ginny value their UF veterinarian colleagues as extended practice partners with experience in treating some of the most complex conditions and access to the latest technology. Mark has called on UF’s Small Animal Hospital specialists to confer on a difficult case or to help make a referral decision. For cases involving multiple systems, or test results that don’t offer a clear solution, Mark tells pet owners UF is the place where they are most likely to get an answer.
“Our clients think more highly of us when we make a referral because they are so grateful for the care they receive at the UF Small Animal Hospital,” Mark said.
After graduation, the couple began their careers in Ginny’s home state, New Jersey. Ginny gained valuable experience as the director of scientific affairs for a veterinary pharmaceutical company, heading product development where she developed the MicroPearls dermatological shampoo line.
After a couple of years, they were ready to be on their own. Noting the immense popularity of “All Creatures Great and Small,” a books and television series at that time, Mark wonders if it sparked their dream of starting a practice.
Homeward Bound
Mark was considering a move to Colorado where they could enjoy mountains and skiing. His mom was having none of that and prompted Mark’s dad to look for a practice back in Northeast Florida. Her mission paid off when his father pointed them to Dr. Jack Shuler’s small veterinary practice on U.S. 1 in St. Augustine. Mark and Ginny agree: The spot turned out to be an ideal location in a growing community offering the best of both worlds — Colorado skiing vacations and Florida snow-free winters.
In 1991, they purchased St. John’s Veterinary Hospital and Cat Clinic with 12 employees. As their practice grew, Ginny reflected that being a veterinarian is very hard work, physically and emotionally. They worked long hours in every capacity from primary care to surgery, carrying beepers and responding to emergencies at all hours.
“The world of veterinary practice we entered wasn’t quite the life of the veterinarian in the English countryside,” Mark joked.
“Sure, there were lots of happy ‘puppy moments,’” Ginny added, “but there was also trauma and death over the years.”
Today, their hospital has doubled in size to accommodate a state-of-the-art intensive care area and 38 employees, including five veterinarians. Mark and Ginny now manage the hospital administration, working literally shoulder-to-shoulder at desks next to each other from home.
Caring & Giving
Ginny and Mark began to understand the importance of their role as caregivers not only to pets, but also to their owners in times of loss. They knew right away they wanted to support UF’s Pet Memorial program. They found that the most meaningful thing to their clients was receiving a note from the college that a donation was made in their pet’s name.
“In those days, support for someone who just lost a pet wasn’t the same as today,” said Mark. “Families didn’t always understand, and the veterinarian and veterinary staff became the person’s support network.”
Not long after that, they experienced the tragic loss of a classmate, who had been practicing in Marathon, Florida. Working with the veterinary practice and clients who had so appreciated their friend and colleague, Mark and Ginny also reached out to other classmates. Turning to UF to establish a memorial fund, they led the effort to create the Dr. Beatriz Lopez-Van Beuren Memorial Scholarship fund.
In addition to the direct gifts to the college, Mark and Ginny more recently have taken steps for planned giving in the form of a bequest to the college from their estate.
Where the Heart Is
Ginny and Mark’s generosity also supports the community they love, helping people and wildlife in need. In partnership with local wildlife rescue organizations, they offer free services to treat injured wildlife, finding reward when they can return animals to their habitats.
Ginny served many years, most recently as chairwoman, for the St. Augustine Society, shepherding the organization through two hurricanes. Its shelter programs include Port in the Storm Youth Center and St. Francis House, a housing crisis shelter that in 2017 placed 210 families in permanent housing. Mark serves on the board for St. Augustine Regional Veterinary Emergency Center, an initiative started through a coalition of area veterinarians recognizing a need for animal emergency care.
Last year, the college honored the couple with its Distinguished Service Award for their multifaceted and longtime support, and for their efforts on behalf of their community and the veterinary medical profession.
