TWS bids farewell to three past presidents

The past three months have brought some somber news to The Wildlife Society. Since December, we have lost three past presidents, Ted Bookhout, Richard Mackie and Bill Crawford, each of whom stood out for their dedication to the profession and their service to TWS.

Bookhout died Feb. 26 due to pulmonary fibrosis. He was 86. A resident of Worthington, Ohio and a member of The 1,000 group of donors, Bookhout served as president from 1980 to 1982 and was named a TWS fellow in 2012. Over the course of his career, he served as editor of the Journal of Wildlife Management, the TWS Wildlife Techniques Manual TWS Technical Reviews and served in several leadership positions for the Ohio Chapter of TWS. He served as unit leader of the Ohio Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit at Ohio State University, where he mentored many aspiring wildlife professionals. After his retirement, he took satisfaction in serving as a school crossing guard.

Mackie died Jan. 6. He was 84. A resident of Bozeman, Montana, he served as TWS president from 1990 to 1992 and held positions as president of TWS state chapters. Throughout his life, Mackie was an avid supporter of land management to benefit both wildlife and landowners. Following his retirement, he continued working as a consultant. Recognized as a top deer researcher, Mackie published numerous papers and books before his retirement as a researcher/collaborator with Montana State University and the Montana Fish and Game Department in 1995.

Crawford, died Dec. 7, 2017. He was 99. A resident of Columbia, Missouri and a member of The 1,000, he served as TWS president from 1975 to 1976. During his presidency, Council established a permanent physical headquarters for the Society and a professional certification program, the latter of which he actively promoted in person across the country.  Crawford was instrumental in forming both TWS’ North Central Section and the Missouri Chapter. He served as the state chapter’s first president and was the section’s representative to TWS Council from 1956 to 1958 and again from 1960 to 1961, where he promoted the formation of other state chapters.

The Wildlife Society thanks each of them for their service and commitment.