Carl M. Wick was born in Southwest Oklahoma on August 23, 1931 to Carl and Frances Wick. He graduated from Vici Oklahoma High School in 1950. He received a BS degree from Oklahoma State University in 1954 with a degree in Agronomy. After graduation, he entered the U.S. Army as a Second Lt., attaining officer status through the ROTC program in the University. He served his two year obligation, emerging with the rank of First Lt. He then went to work for the U.S. Department of the Interior as a Range Conservationist in South Dakota. Later he took a leave from the USDI, went back to Oklahoma State and earned a Masters degree in Agronomy in 1960. He returned to South Dakota and worked in range conservation until 1962. He moved to California to work for the University of California Agricultural Extension Service (now Cooperative Extension) in 1962. His first assignment was at Tulelake in Northern California. After about a year, he was transferred to Stockton California, where he worked in the 4-H program filling in for a 4-H Advisor on sabbatical leave. He then was reassigned to Butte County California as a Farm Advisor, where he was responsible for rice education and research. He served in that capacity until his retirement in August 1993. He had other crop educational responsibilities, including: wheat, oats, and barley and range research. In rice, which was his major educational responsibility, he was the author or co-author of many UC publications and scientific journal papers based on work with Butte County farmers and researchers from UC Davis. His educational emphasis was on rice disease control and economics of production. He was also heavily involved in the evaluation of new rice varieties developed at the Biggs Rice Field Station in cooperation with researchers at the Biggs Rice Research Station and from UC Davis and the USDA. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including the "California Rice Industry Award," the national "Distinguished Service Award," and "Outstanding Research and Extension Team Award" from the Rice Technical Working Group. He received the "Service to Ag" Award from The Farm City Week group in Butte County and numerous other awards. Carl was active in helping form the Butte County Farm, Home, and 4-H Support Group before he moved to Houston in 2003. Carl remained unmarried his entire life.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister. Survivors include a brother; and numerous nieces and grand-nieces; nephews; and his beloved "Dolly," a Miniature Dachshund. There will be no service at his request.

Internment will be in a family plot in Memorial Park Cemetery at Oklahoma City, Okla. on a yet to be determined date.

... Complied and transcribed by Marti Graham, 2009.