In Memoriam: Rance B. LeFebvre
Emeritus Professor of Veterinary Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
1951-2026
Rance Buckley LeFebvre died peacefully in his home in El Dorado on January 19, 2026. He was a devoted teacher, molecular microbiologist, and affable colleague.
Rance was born in Alameda County, California on February 9, 1951 to Edwin and Florence LeFebvre. He grew up in Pinole. Following graduation from Pinole Valley High School, he attended Humbolt State University, receiving a B.A. in 1975. He then sought graduate training at Colorado State University, where he worked on Trypanosoma of veterinary importance, earning a Ph.D. in 1982. He sought postdoctoral training at the College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, working on molecular characterization of Adeno-Associated Virus in the laboratory of Ken Berns (a renowned expert in the field). His mentor left Gainesville in 1984, prompting Rance to seek additional training with Alex Thiermann at the National Animal Disease Center in Ames, Iowa, working on the genetic and antigenic characterization of Leptospirae. He joined the University of California School of Veterinary Medicine faculty in 1988 in the former Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology (now Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology). Dr. LeFebvre retired from UC Davis in 2018.
Rance’s years as a molecular microbiologist contributed significantly wherever he was. His postdoctoral studies fostered a continued interest in animal and human spirochete pathogens. He made significant contributions to the Lyme borreliosis field, demonstrating the genetic and antigenic diversity among Borrelia burgdorferi isolates from Europe and the U.S., as well as within California. Notably, he discovered a conserved bacterial protein that is now used as a clinical diagnostic marker for late-stage Lyme disease and acrodermatitis chronic atrophicans (caused by B. afzellii). His work also identified bacterial outer surface proteins that could serve as protective immunogens, studies that were central to ongoing work in other laboratories in the development of vaccines. In addition, Rance provided collaborative expertise to characterizing other bacterial (and protozoal) pathogens of veterinary importance while at UC Davis and authored several chapters on veterinary bacterial pathogens.
As his career progressed, Rance changed his focus to more fully encompass his love of teaching. He taught veterinary and medical microbiology to undergraduate, graduate, and veterinary students. He contributed to the enhancement, facilitation, and mentorship of veterinary, graduate, undergraduate and secondary school students, particularly students representing cultural and professional diversity. He devoted considerable effort as the UC Davis campus leader for the Biomedical Sciences “cluster” of the multi-campus California State Summer School for Math and Science (COSMOS). This is a summer program that exposes high-achieving high school students within the STEM field to the disciplines of veterinary and human medicine. He also developed and instituted FASTVet (Food Animal Specialty Track) to recruit and mentor animal science majors interested in food animal veterinary medicine, the Vet Med Summer Academy to expose high school students to veterinary medicine, and the Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) to help disadvantaged (low-income, disadvantaged, and historically underrepresented backgrounds) undergraduate students prepare for veterinary school. These efforts were facilitated by his appointment as Associate Dean for Student Programs, in which he administered pre-veterinary advising, admissions and academic advising, and was wellness coordinator for the school. Rance received the School of Veterinary Medicine Distinguished Teaching Award for these contributions. Two classes of graduating veterinary students selected Dr. LeFebvre as their faculty commencement speaker.
Rance is survived by his wife Trish (Patricia) and four sons. He was a devoted father. His son Justyn said, ”Outside of his academic life, my dad was a deeply curious, well-rounded person with an easy ability to connect with others. He had a rare mix of intelligence and humor and could talk with just about anyone on almost any topic, always thoughtful and engaging without ever being harsh or overly academic.
“At his core, he cared deeply about respect, integrity, and being a true gentleman. He believed in carrying yourself with character and treating people the right way. As a father, he showed love through encouragement and steady support, always making sure we knew how proud he was of us. One small detail that perfectly captured who he was: he had a tattoo of a tick on his arm, a meaningful nod to his love of microbiology and lifelong curiosity. More than anything, we hope he is remembered as a thoughtful, principled, and genuinely kind person with heart, humor, and an enduring love of learning.
“My dad was a force to be reckoned with. A big heart, a big personality, and passions that ran deep. From hunting and Harleys to Vivaldi, cigars, 49ers football, philosophy, and the Bible.”
We can only add his love of dogs, and by saying that he was a special colleague and loyal friend.
The Celebration of Life will be on Saturday, March 14. The service will be held from 2-3:30 p.m. at Valley Hall 1st Floor, followed by a reception from 4-6 p.m. at Calicraft Brewery in Davis. More details can be found at the Evite; please also RSVP there.