GARY W. ULRICH
OCTOBER 28, 2000
Gary W. Ulrich, a doctor of entomology and graduate of the University of Idaho and University of California, died in a seven-car accident near Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2000. He was 57.
Gary was born to Edwin and Helen Shawley Ulrich on Aug. 2, 1943, in Lewiston. He attended kindergarten through high school in the Lewiston School District and graduated from Lewiston High School in 1961. He married Esther Lacy of Clarkston on May 28, 1966. They had two children, Michelle Lynn Ulrich and John Edwin Ulrich. Both live in California. He was preceded in death by Esther in 1999.
Gary served from 1964 through 1966 in the 1st Cavalry Division of the U.S. Army and was an air traffic controller in Vietnam for one year. While in Vietnam, he and some of his friends started an unofficial school for the children of the area. They enlisted the help of their relatives in the United States to furnish supplies for the school.
He graduated in 1974 from the UI with a bachelor’s degree in entomology and in 1988 from UC-Berkeley with a Ph.D. in entomology. While attending UC-Berkeley, Gary was a Big Brother to fatherless boys. He worked for the Almond Growers of Chico, Gallo Wines and Sun Met, both at Fresno, Calif. At the time of his death, Gary was moving from his home in Fresno to Lenore, Idaho.
His specialty in entomology was the click beetle. His achievement with this beetle was known around the world. Gary’s research took him all over the United States, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand. His desire was to return to Vietnam to collect beetles.
Gary’s survivors include his fiancée Jaymi Osborn of Lenore; his grown children, both in California; his parents of Lewiston; two brothers, Craig of Virginia and Dennis of Oregon; his sister, Wendy Mitchell of Moscow; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
A farewell service will be held at the Clarkston Methodist Church at 10:30 a.m. next Saturday. All of his friends are encouraged to share a favorite story and say Goodbye.