Richard Ellwood Wickham

wife of 43 years and all of his children.

Richard Elwood Wickham was born on March 17th, 1947 to parents Charles and Addie.

He was raised in Carmichael with his sister Sherry, and the two have remained close in

proximity and heart their entire lives.

Rick graduated from La Sierra High School in 1965, married his high school

sweetheart Gloria Bailey, and was fighting the war in Vietnam by 1966.

After returning from Vietnam, Rick started his career in the poultry industry where

enjoyed a successful career with Foster Farms, Pilgrim’s Pride and Sanderson Farms

over the next 21 years.

Rick and Gloria’s two son’s Troy and Billy were born in 1969 and 1971.

Although he and Gloria’s marriage ended in 1976, they have remained very close

friends their entire lives.

In 1978 he married Janice Michaels, and the two have been madly in love ever since.

Their daughter Chelsea was born in 1978, and they adopted Michele as a daughter in

1987.

In 1989 Rick and Jan were approached about the potential of planting vineyards on

their property. This began a journey that would become Myers Ranch Vineyard

Management Company. By the time that Rick retired and turned the company over to

his son Troy, they managed over 48 vineyards and had earned a reputation for quality

and attention to detail that few other companies could match.

Those who knew Rick know that his strongest traits were his generosity, his ability to

forgive, and his absolute insistence on seeing value in people that other’s could not.

Along with his wife and kids already mentioned, Rick is survived by 2 nephews, 6

grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Troy, Billy, Chelsea and Michele, were all standing by Jan and Rick’s side as he

peacefully passed away at 9:30 in the morning on July 4th.

A memorial service will be held at 2pm on Sunday, July 11th at The Lyon’s Club in

Diamond Springs located on the corner of Missouri Flat Rd & Pleasant Valley Rd (4701

Missouri Flat Rd., Diamond Springs, CA 95619)