Memorial Statement for Emeritus Dean George C. Poppensiek, V.M.D., M.S. (1918-2015) who was born in New York City earned his V.M.D. degree from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in 1942. His experience with rabies led to him becoming Department Head at Lederle Laboratories of Pearl River, NY, where he was responsible for veterinary virus vaccine production. He returned to Cornell becoming Director of the Diagnostic Laboratory while simultaneously earned a M.S. in virology, pathology and biochemistry in 1951. His research on a number of infectious diseases and vaccinology led to his appointment as Supervisory Veterinarian for Immunological Investigations at the USDA's Plum Island Animal Disease Center. Recruited back to Cornell,, he served as the College's fifth Dean for 15 years from 1959 to1974. Emeritus Dean Poppensiek was then appointed as the James Law Professor of Comparative Medicine before he retired in 1988.