William R. Shortall

Dr. W. Robert Shortall, "Bob", passed away at home at the age of 82 on March 31, 2025. Dr. Shortall, founder of Padonia Veterinary Hospital, grew up on a dairy and grain farm outside of Centerville, Maryland. At the early age of 14, he was determined and committed to pursue a veterinary career path.

In his late teen years, he was chosen to be a Boys Nation senator. Boys Nation is a highly selective program with only 100 boy senators chosen from a pool of 20,000 Boys State participants nationwide. This is a group of intellectual boys who illustrate leadership, character, loyalty, and service in their school and community and as Boys Nation senators are then groomed as future leaders.

He attended the University of Maryland and received his B. S. graduating Summa Cum Laude in just 3 years. Shortly after, he obtained his VMD degree from the University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Shortall served with the United States Army as a Captain, and later served two years as a Post Veterinarian in Fort Knox, Kentucky. He became a Colonel on the Staff of the Governor of Kentucky in the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels in 1969. In 1970 he founded and established the Padonia Animal Hospital at its current location of 9827 York Road, Cockeysville, Maryland. He retired from being a veterinarian after 46 years. Dr. Shortall was a lifetime member of American Veterinary Medical Association, The Maryland Veterinary Medical Association, a former member of the Baltimore Veterinary Association, and a founding member of the Animal Emergency Center.

He loved spending time at the beach with his family in Ocean City, Maryland. He also found a great deal of joy in always having cats and dogs. Dr. Shortall had many interesting hobbies that included breeding and raising thoroughbred horses, harness horse racing, investing in townhouse rentals doing a lot of the maintenance himself, coaching and counseling recreational basketball and indoor soccer, reading, as well as outdoor activities such as gardening.

Dr. Shortall was a devoted family man. He was survived by and committed to his love of 10 years, Mary Williamson; loving father of Drew Shortall, his wife Kerry, and Lindsie Zeich and her husband, Adam, cherished grandfather of Hailee Carter, loving brother of Shirley Brogley and the late Danny Shortall, beloved son of the late Daniel and Helen Shortall, and beloved husband of 47 years to the late Sandra Shortall.

The family will receive friends at the Lemmon Funeral Home of Dulaney Valley, Inc., 10 W. Padonia Road (at York Road) Timonium, Maryland 21093 on Thursday, April 3, 2025 from 6pm to 8pm and the family will continue to receive friends at the funeral home on Friday, April 4, 2025 from 10am to 11am.

A committal service will be held at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens on Friday April 4, at 11:15am.

At the request of Robert, if flowers are desired, please call his daughter’s florist, Fair Hill Florist 410-398-9088.