Richard Dale “Dick” Bogert, a beloved father & grandfather passed away on Monday January 25, 2021 at age 87. Dick was born on Oct. 9, 1933 to Frank "Bud" and Helen Lynch Bogert on a small farm north of Enid, the fourth of five children. Dick spent his grammar school days at Spring Valley, a one-room independent school and later graduated from Enid High School.
Following his three older brothers, Dick enrolled at Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, in 1951. He majored in mechanical engineering with a petroleum option and has remained “Loyal and True” to his alma mater ever since.
It was in Stillwater at the Beta house that Dick placed a call to the ladies of Stout Hall. That call turned out to be fortuitous. On the other line was Barbara Ann Blake, a fellow Enid native. The two went out for a coke date and the rest was history. Dick and Barb were married on December 19, 1954, and were loving companions for sixty-five years.
A year after graduating from college, Dick joined the United States Air Force. After undergoing flight training in McAllen, Texas, Dick was stationed at Charleston Air Force Base in South Carolina where he served as a petroleum supply officer. The couple returned to Oklahoma three years later and Dick resumed working for Champlin Petroleum, spending the next decade there.
After spending the 1970s as an independent oil and gas consultant, Dick founded Bogert Oil in 1979, taking that company public a year later. Under Dick’s leadership, Bogert Oil emerged as one of the state’s leading oil and gas companies. In 1990, Dick sold his stake.
He couldn’t stay away for long though and in 1991 founded Bogo Energy Corporation, which still has offices in Oklahoma City and Enid today.
Dick was an active advocate for Oklahoma State University. As a Lifetime Member of the Alumni Association, he served on the OSU Foundation's Board of Governors and Board of Trustees, a Top 150 donor, Cowboy Gift of Lifetime Participant and Past Distinguished Alumni Honoree. He served as a Director for Coppermark Bank of Oklahoma City. He was a member and Director of the Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association (OIPA) and recipient of OIPA Member of the Year in 1988. Dick was also inducted into the OIPA Wildcatters Club Hall of Honor in March of 2017. Dick was a past Director of the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board (OERB), and a member of the Domestic Energy Producers Alliance, Oklahoma Energy Explorers, National Stripper Well Association and an Oklahoma City civic leader.
Dick and Barb had a lifetime love of Oklahoma State Athletics, John Marshall HS football, and Heritage Hall HS football. Dick’s quiet generosity to each of these programs helped to build strong foundations which have enabled these schools to excel for many years. Fridays and Saturdays in the fall were set aside for High School and College Football. Dick didn’t miss a Charger home game this past Fall.
Dick and Barb loved to spend early December in New York City and brought back the Christmas spirit with them each year. Their favorite spot was the 21 Club which was managed by a pledge brother of Dick’s from Covington, OK. Dick loved to travel and generously sponsored many family trips to his favorite destinations such as Las Vegas, The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, and a twenty plus year family tradition to C Lazy U dude ranch in Granby, Colorado.
Dick & Barbara were active members of Crossings Community Church where they could be found each Sunday in their “regular” pew amongst friends. Dick is preceded in death by his wife Barbara, his parents Frank Faye and Helen Lynch Bogert, brothers Frank (Marilee), Bill (Mary), Don (Francis). He is survived by his sister Mary Helen Iselin (Dennis) and his children Karen Louise Stewart of San Marcos, TX, Richard Andrew “Andy” Bogert and wife, Vicki of Oklahoma City, OK and Jennifer Lyn Holmes of Oklahoma City, OK. “Poppy’s” nine grandchildren Brian, Justin, Jarrod, Katie, Brett, Kelsey, Zachary, Brooke, and Maddie and one great grandchild, Madison.
A viewing will be held at Hahn-Cook/Street & Draper in Oklahoma City, OK on January 29, 2021 from 10:00 – 12:00pm. An outdoor graveside service celebrating Dick’s life will be held at Rose Hill Burial Park on January 29, 2021 at 1:30pm with Pastor Michael Milligan officiating. The service is open to the public, outdoors and socially distanced. The family asks that guests please wear a mask.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of Oklahoma in honor of Barbara Bogert.
The family would like to thank Dick’s caregiver and friend Traci Walters for her love and compassion of our father.
