04/07/2025
Dr Hoonhout immigrated with his parents, to the United States in 1949 from Amsterdam, Netherlands. Ever since he was 9 years old, he knew he wanted to be a veterinarian. He graduated from Michigan State University College of Veterinary medicine in 1965. Shortly after, he moved to Mt. Clemens and quickly became a partner at Patterson Veterinary Hospital for 40 years.
Dr Hoonhout was meant to be a veterinarian, he was gifted at surgery, compassionate, an innovator in the field, and had an amazing way with people and animals. Early on he designed prosthetics for animals in need, removed heartworms surgically from the heart prior to other treatment options and was one of the first to do cataract surgery before there were specialists. Of recent many of you with limping dogs, have most likely had an ACL or 2 repaired by Dr H.
In 1984, Dr Hoonhout and his family purchased Maxwell Farms, the site in which Stony Creek Vet resides. After rehabbing one of the barns into his families home, he felt the other barn on the property would make a great veterinary hospital. After working full days at Patterson vet, he moonlighted at night in construction, building his dream clinic for retirement. In 2004, Stony Creek Vet opened on a beautiful sleepy dirt road just a stones throw from Dr H’s house.
Dr Hoonhout was very proud to be a veterinarian, his genuine love for animals and the profession shined through every day of his 60 year career. Always going the extra mile to ensure his clients and patients had the best care.
In his later years, when asked about retiring, he often replied “ I can’t retire yet, there are too many animals that need me!”
When I was a little girl, I would visit my dad’s hospital a lot. I would watch him do surgery and on special days we would go to the sears cafeteria for lunch. From those early days, I always knew I wanted to be a veterinarian. My dad always joked it was because of my love for our golden retriever “ Blossom” growing up.
But the reality was, I wanted to be just like him ❤️
I had the gift of working and learning along side of him for the majority of my career, he made me proud to be his daughter every single day.
We lost my dad in March after a long fight with Cancer. He will be missed dearly.
