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Meet our Staff

Colby Carpenter, DVM

Owner/Veterinarian

I grew up seven miles west of Tecumseh on land that my great, great grandparents settled on prior to Oklahoma becoming a state where we raised Beefmaster cattle. I graduated from Bethel Public School in 1999 before attending Oklahoma State University, where I graduated with a Bachelors’s Degree in Animal Science in 2003 and a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2006.

More importantly, OSU is where I met Emily, who is the Department Head of Math and Science at Seminole State College, my wife and the mother of our son Cayden and our daughter Quinn.  The kids now attend Bethel School and keep us pretty busy when I’m not at the clinic. We enjoy sports, showing cattle, camping, hiking, snow skiing, and traveling. We raise Beefmaster cattle and have a black Labrador named Murphy, a chocolate Labrador named Jackson, a Miniature Aussie named Sassy, a house cat named Phoebe, and an outdoor cat that’s either named Chip or Potato (the kids both named her when they were little, and the argument still hasn’t been settled). Emily and I have been married for 17 years as I write this. She’s won every argument that we’ve ever had. And that’s ok.

I started cleaning kennels at the Tecumseh Vet Clinic as soon as I was old enough to drive. I worked here as an assistant on the weekends and during the summers throughout high school and on and off during college as the opportunity allowed. Upon graduating from veterinary school, I came back to join my mentor Dr. Bob Evans, first as an associate veterinarian and then as a full partner starting in 2008. I’ve learned a lot along the way but there are still some days that I clean the kennels. And that’s ok too.

Bob Evans, DVM

Founder/Owner/Veterinarian

I grew up in Perkins, OK, where I was the best high school athlete that my mother had ever seen. I was a three-sport non-letterman at Oklahoma State University, playing baseball, basketball, and football. Due to the shortsightedness of professional scouts, I fell back upon my second career path of Veterinary Medicine, graduating from OSU College of Veterinary Medicine in 1977. After practicing for a year in Hobart, OK, I founded the Tecumseh Veterinary Clinic in 1978. My wife, Sheila, taught Family and Consumer Sciences at Tecumseh High School and together we raised two children in Tecumseh and are now the proud grandparents of six. My son, Paul, is a high school football coach in Southmoore, OK, and his sister, Jill, is the Coordinator of Special Services for Shawnee Public Schools.

There are very few people in Pottawatomie County for whom I haven’t pulled a calf, doctored a sick dog, or told the same joke to at least twice. I enjoy being the designated sinner at the First Baptist Church of Tecumseh, where I have been well-tolerated for the past 44 years.

Elicia Gingrich

Office Manager

I joined the Tecumseh Vet Clinic team in 2019. Chances are that you have spoken with me on the phone, as I manage the office full-time. I have a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Oklahoma State University as well as a Medical Transcription Degree from American Transcription Institute. I am married to Stacy Gingrich. He and I have two sons and daughters-in-law, Ethan and his wife, Morgan, and Cody and his wife, Hayli. Our whole families are OSU Alumni and proud members of the Cowboy Family. We live on a small farm with cattle, chickens, dogs, and a horse. We enjoy traveling, especially to the mountains where we like to go off-roading. You can also frequently find us in Stillwater, home to our Alma Mater.

Mike Littrell

Head Large Animal Technician

I have worked at the Tecumseh Veterinary Clinic for the past 8 years. Previously, I was a Captain/Fire Investigator/Code Enforcement Officer for the Shawnee Fire Department, retiring after 25 years. During that time, I also had a painting company. Upon retirement, I owned and operated a retail business for 12 years.

I was raised on a farm and have always been around animals. I enjoy working with them all, but I really like working with large animals, especially cattle. When people ask what I do at the clinic, I always say, “A little bit of everything, whatever needs doing.”

My wife, Tammie, and I live in the place where I was raised. We have 3 grown daughters, an 8-year-old son, and a busload of grandkids! We raise and show Nubian dairy goats and Akaushi cattle, which we raise for Nichiyobi Beef Company.

Drs. Bob and Colby are more like family than employers and I wouldn’t care to work anywhere else.

Lavon Ward

Head Small Animal Technician

I was born and raised in Goddard, KS. As an only child, books were my friends. My parents bred, raised, and trained Quarter Horses for the racetrack.

For the last 24 years, I have been blessed to be married to my best friend. He is a retired military veteran and together we have navigated military and civilian life. We have raised four wonderful children and have lived in several different states and several different countries. We moved to Tecumseh 3 years ago to be closer to our parents and our grandchildren.

I walked into the Tecumseh Veterinary Clinic 3 years ago to get my 3 dogs vaccinated. I was impressed with how friendly everyone was and asked if they were hiring. The rest is history.

Caleb Blair

IT Director/Small Animal Technician

I started at the Tecumseh Veterinary Clinic when I was in high school, first by shadowing and then as a full-time employee. I raised market show lambs as well as competed on the Tecumseh FFA Veterinary Science Team. We traveled the state competing against other schools to see who could score better in a series of tests and hands-on activities involving veterinary practice. Although I no longer raise show-stock, I do have 3 rescue dogs. Their names are Charlie, Sophie, and Rocky and they love to play. I am currently enrolled in my sophomore year at Oklahoma State University majoring in Pre-Veterinary Animal Science. I love animals and plan to make a career in animal medicine where I know I can be of assistance to the growing community.

Tara Gordon

Receptionist

My family moved around some while I was growing up but eventually settled in Emida, Idaho. We lived on 5 acres up on a mountain where my family built a two-room log cabin. We had no electricity or running water but lived there for three years before moving to town. I graduated from high school in St Maries, Idaho, in 1990.

My dad was a horse trainer and farrier and that is where I acquired a love for horses. I currently have a horse named Autumn and a toy-Aussie named Jasper. They both brighten my day even when I don’t want to smile.

I have two daughters that have blessed me with nine beautiful grandchildren. They are such a joy in my life. My husband, Willie, and I own a small trucking business out of Maud, OK, which keeps us both very busy.

After having been employed in the legal field for the past eleven years, I really wanted to work with animals and asked if I could shadow here at Tecumseh Veterinary Clinic. I really enjoyed the experience and when Dr. Carpenter was out at our place on a farm call, I jokingly mentioned that they should have hired me. He replied by saying that there was a receptionist job available and that it was mine to turn down. So here I am working with a wonderful group of people!