Dr. Warren Sheldon Bivin, 82, passed away peacefully at home in Baton Rouge on September 27, 2021. Sheldon was a man who loved God and lived his life as a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, mentor and friend in service to others. He was born in Concordia, Kansas, and grew up in Concordia, Missouri, where he met and married Rosalie, his wife of 62 years. Sheldon graduated cum laude with a B.S. in 1962 and his D.V.M. in 1964 from KSU. He served as a lieutenant in the Army at Fort Detrick, Maryland and was elected as a diplomat of the American College of Laboratory Medicine in 1969. He received a Ph.D. in neuroanatomy from MU in 1971. His first assignment was with a United Nations development project as Director of Veterinary Medicine at the Federal University of Santa Maria in Brazil. Sheldon and his family also enjoyed working with Southern Baptist Missionaries in Brazil and Sheldon continued his work with missions through the Christian Veterinary Mission.
Sheldon was the first faculty member hired to teach in the new LSU School of Veterinary Medicine in 1973. He initiated a program for exotic animal medicine and the Zoological Medicine wing of the LSU Vet School is named after him. He also initiated the Raptor Rehabilitation Unit for injured birds of prey. He served as Director of Laboratory Animal Medicine for the LSU campus, the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, the Tulane Medical Center, and the New Orleans VA hospital. He was Mike the Tiger’s veterinarian for over 25 years and co-authored the book Mike the Tiger-The Roar of LSU. Sheldon loved fishing, hunting, tennis, music, and people. He was a fixer - he enthusiastically tackled any problem without hesitation. Wood working and creating special pieces for his family and the people he loved gave him joy. He used his hands, head and heart to help others. He is survived by his wife, Rosalie, brother, Nolan D. Bivin, as well as his three children: Cheri J. Bivin, Gregory S. Bivin, and Angela B. Wood. Dr Bivin has 9 wonderful grandchildren: Gabriella M. Deich, Jonah M. Deich, and Chloe E. Deich (children of Cheri J. Bivin and Dr. Matthew Deich); the late Gregory S. Bivin II, Justin M. Bivin, and Brandon H. Bivin (children of Greg and Dianna Bivin); and Sara J. Badeaux (married to Kolby M. Badeaux), Allison M. Wood, and Emily A. Wood (children of Angie and Jay Wood). He was great grandfather to Brynlee N. Bivin (daughter of Justin M. Bivin and his wife, Kailee L. Bivin); his aunt, Ila Maxine Roy; and three nephews, Randy Bivin, Bruce Kaad, and Nolan Roy. He was preceded in death by his parents Bessie Lucille and Dale Lafe Bivin and his grandson Gregory S. Bivin II. Visitation will be on Saturday, October 2, 2021 at Rabenhorst Funeral Home (825 Government St., Baton Rouge, LA 70802) from 10:00 am until the Memorial Service at 12:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Christian Veterinary Mission at cvm.org, the Parkinsons Research Foundation at parkinsonhope.org, or to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) at http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/jdrfwoodfamily.
