Humphrey, longtime Camarillo resident and veterinarian, dies at 91
By Michelle Knight knigh@theacorn.com

TRUE COUNTRY VET- As a member of the Ranchero Vistadores, a long-standing fraternity that preserves the traditions of the early days of California ranchers, veterinarian Weden Humphrey, far right, met a number of business and political leaders including, from left, Al Jalaty, the city of Port Hueneme's first police chief; Ronald Reagan, after his tenure as governor of California and before his presidency; and James Reardon at a 1977 event.

Weden P. Humphrey, a man many say was the quintessential country veterinarian, died last week.

The 91-year-old Camarillo resident died in his home on Oct. 21.

Humphrey is survived by his daughters, Karen Humphrey, 63, of Camarillo, and Karel Murphy, 56, of Newport, Ore.

His son, Gary, who was killed in Vietnam in 1968, and Ruth Humphrey, his wife of 64 years, preceded him in death.

The soft-spoken man, dedicated to his work, was revered by colleagues and clients for his integrity and talent, family and friends said at his funeral on Monday to a standing-room crowd at Conejo Mountain Funeral Home and Memorial Park in Camarillo.

"You knew you loved your dad, but you found other people loved him too," Karen Humphrey said after the funeral. "It's pretty overwhelming."

Weden and Ruth Humphrey, better known as Doc and Mickey, opened a veterinary practice out of their Oxnard home in 1942.

Their three children often accompanied their father on weekend calls around the county farms just as Humphrey did as a child growing up in Santa Maria. His father too was a veterinarian. Humphrey told stories to his daughters of traveling along dirt roads in a horse-drawn buggy as he and his father made house calls, even going to Hearst Castle.

Humphrey's specialty was thoroughbred horses, but he cared for all sorts of large and small animals. With fewer veterinarians in those days and dairy farms and large ranches dotting the landscape, Humphrey regularly drove north to Solvang and south to Malibu to see his patients.

His reputation also spread far and wide. Longtime friend Elaine Togami remembers Humphrey being called to Bakersfield to care for an injured elephant in a traveling circus.

The quiet man, who always wore polished boots, a Stetson hat and coveralls, was called to the Malibu ranches of celebrities; he cared for the exotic animals at Jungleland in Thousand Oaks and for the animals on the sets of "Lassie" and "Dr. Doolittle."

When it came to his job, Humphrey was all business but always took time to answer questions and encourage young people, as he did with Richard and Mike Giacopuzzi.

The cousins were in their teens when Humphrey came to the family's Oxnard dairy farm to care for the animals. Taking note of their interest, Humphrey encouraged them to go to veterinary school and hired them in the 1970s after they graduated.

The men later bought Humphrey's practice.

Richard Giacopuzzi said that his mentor was ahead of his time. Humphrey devised a method for straightening the crooked legs of newborn foals when no one else knew how, he said. Word of the technique spread and vets across the state asked Humphrey to come and demonstrate the procedure.

"He's still a legacy in this area," said Richard Giacopuzzi, 55.

Mike Giacopuzzi, also 55, said Humphrey had opportunities over the years to sell his practice before he and his cousin bought it.

But Humphrey was a devoted veterinarian whom clients tended to make an extended member of the family. So it was more important to Humphrey that his successor keep alive his tradition- putting patients and clients above all else.

"He took an interest in people's lives," Mike Giacopuzzi said.

After Humphrey sold the practice, he went to work for his former protégés, who opened an equine hospital in Somis in 1988. As a sign of respect, the Giacopuzzis added Humphrey's name to the business.

Over the next 10 years or so, Humphrey reported to work every day even though he was in his 70s. It wasn't until he was in his mid80s that Humphrey could no longer keep up the routine. The Giacopuzzis still consulted with him on difficult cases.

Humphrey was a man of his word, with a trusting nature, although it worked against him at times. He had a mischievous grin and dry sense of humor that turned clients and others into loyal friends.

A member of the Ranchero Vistadores, a longstanding fraternity that preserves the traditions of the early days of California ranchers, Humphrey rubbed elbows with CEOs and statesmen, including the late President Ronald Reagan.