Crestwood Animal Clinic Staff

  • Dr. Susan Wardrip
  • Dr. Craig Wardrip
  • Alecia
  • Bernie
  • Racquel
  • Lauren

Dr. Susan Wardrip

Dr. Susan Wardrip with Wakhuna

Dr. Susan Wardrip grew up in Gary, IN, as the youngest of 4 children of Steve and Eve Jelusich, first generation Americans of Croatian descent. After graduating from Lew Wallace High School in Gary, Sue began college at Indiana University as an art major, changed her major a number of times, and finished undergraduate school with a degree in chemistry, anatomy and physiology. Just before graduating, she married her high school sweetheart, Craig, whom she met when they were 16 years old. While following Craig through his early military service, Sue taught junior high school earth science in Charleston, South Carolina, for 2 years, and spent one summer working for the veterinarian who treated their Beagle, Boris. This experience convinced her to strive for a career in veterinary medicine, and she convinced Craig as well. After one more year of teaching � this time high school physics and chemistry in East Gary, IN, Sue (and Craig) went to Purdue University for 4 years to earn their DVM degrees. Sue and Craig were the first married couple ever admitted together to the Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine, and, by the way, Sue was pregnant at the time! By the time they graduated 4 years later, their oldest child, Jean, was 3 � years old. Sue was an honor student in her class, graduating in the top 10% in spite of managing her young family, and helping Craig to also be in the top 10%. After graduation, Sue and Craig moved across the state line, settling in Worth, while Sue practiced at Merrick Animal Hospital in Brookfield for 5 years. In 1980, Sue and Craig added Tom Wardrip to their family, and in 1982 they added Crestwood Animal Clinic. Sue continued to support the family by working in Brookfield until 1983, when she took over the majority practice role from Craig. In 1987, Sue and Craig added Becky to their family, and in 1990 they all moved across the canal to Palos Heights. Along with the children have come many dogs, cats, and gerbils, including Newton, the Golden Retriever, who spends most days with Sue at the clinic, and Wakhuna, the cat at home. Besides being a wonderful veterinarian, Sue is the family organizer, a major collector of all things Disney, and an excellent photographer and scrapbooker. Sue�s (and Craig�s) summer activities always include making furniture with animal designs for the Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine annual benefit auction. Sue is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association, the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association, and the Purdue Veterinary Alumni Association. She has also been an active member of the Dean�s Advisory Committee for the Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Craig Wardrip

Dr. Craig Wardrip is the oldest of 3 children of Charles and Patricia Wardrip, northwest Indiana residents of Kentucky and North Carolina descent. Craig graduated from Lew Wallace High School one year before Sue, and went to Purdue University, where he earned an undergraduate degree in mathematics. For one year Craig taught high school math in Munster, IN, and married Sue that same year. Craig entered the U. S. Navy Reserves that year, and was stationed on active duty in Charleston, SC for 2 years, teaching electricity and electronics to Navy technicians. After Sue convinced him to try for entry to veterinary school, Craig taught junior high school math in East Gary, IN, for one year, then reentered Purdue with Sue. When they graduated and moved to Worth, Craig worked at Escanaba Animal Hospital in Chicago, then at Lepar Animal Hospital in Evergreen Park. In 1982, as part of their family plan, Craig opened Crestwood Animal Clinic, while Sue continued to support the family by working in Brookfield. In 1983 Sue joined Craig full time in Crestwood, and later that year, Craig began taking care of a large Beagle colony at Argonne National Laboratory. Also in 1983, Craig (who had 8 years service in the U. S. Navy Reserves already) joined a veterinary care unit of the U. S. Army Reserves. In 1990, Craig�s unit was activated for Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and Craig spent 6 months in Saudi Arabia. Sue somehow managed the practice and the 3 children (who were then 16, 10 and 3), until Craig returned home in 1991. From 1992 until 1994, while working part-time at Crestwood, and still in the Army, Craig spent 2 years at University of Illinois in Chicago learning to become a university specialist veterinarian, eventually becoming board-certified in the specialty. In 1994 he became a faculty member at University of Chicago, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the medical school. Craig retired from the Army in 1995 as a Major with 20 years of service. Craig continues to work part-time at Crestwood Animal Clinic, although his specialty is paying the bills and doing the financial management. In his spare time, Craig watches more sports than Sue can tolerate, and runs 15-20 miles per week. Craig is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association, the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association, and the Purdue Veterinary Alumni Association. He is also a member of the Governmental Affairs Committee of the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association, the Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities of the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the Advisory Committee for the Joliet Junior College Veterinary Technology program.

Update on Sue and Craig�s children: All 3 children graduated from Alan B. Shepard High School in Palos Heights. Jean graduated from Purdue University with a degree in chemistry, joined the U. S. Army, earned her M.D. at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, MD, became a pediatrician, married Dan Burr, recently returned safely from one year of service in Iraq, and is a Major (equaling her Dad�s rank already) stationed at Fort Bragg, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Tom graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management, married Tessa Rampage (a Purdue graduate!), and is the manager of Pot Belly Sandwich Works in Wheeling, IL. Becky, our baby, is a student in biomedical engineering at - you guessed it - Purdue University. Go, Boilermakers!