Memorial Statement for Professor James H. Gillespie, V.M.D., Ph.D. (1917-2011) began his career at Cornell in the Avian Disease Section of the Department of Pathology and Bacteriology in 1946. When the Veterinary Virus Research Institute (currently Baker Institute) was developed by Dr. James A. Baker in 1950, Dr. Gillespie became its Assistant Director. This appointment enable him to become involved with research on a number of virus diseases of domestic animals in addition to teaching microbiology to veterinary students and advising his many graduate students. Dr. Gillespie's studies on the infectious diseases of the cat lead to the formation of the Cornell Feline Health Center in 1974. He served on a number of international commissions and was recognized as a world leader in developing scientific information about vaccines for animals.