WILLIE LEE ULICH B.S., M.S., D.P.A., Colonel USAF (Ret.) November 10, 1920 � March 24, 2011 WILLIE LEE ULICH passed away from his earthly home into God�s heavenly palace on March 24, 2011 at the age of 90. He leaves a legacy of honesty, good humor, and a strong Christian faith to his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, many friends, and acquaintances. Born November 10, 1920 in Somerville, Texas, he grew up during the Great Depression, starting out in life with a $10 loan from his sharecropper father. He went on to earn two degrees at Texas A&M College and a doctorate at Harvard University. Willie Lee was a decorated WWII pilot in the Army Air Corps where he flew gasoline over the Himalayan Mountains into China. Willie Lee was true to his word and clear in his deeds. Even in his aging years he could recall vivid details of his boyhood days and service to his country, and he loved to share them. He modeled the importance of faith in God to his family and friends, who will miss him and his adventuresome tales. He was the son of Will Dan Ulich and Anna Marie (Schultz) Ulich. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 68 years, Esther Helen (Schoppe) Ulich, his parents, and his sister Louise Zettler. Surviving relatives include two sons and daughters-in law: William Lloyd Ulich and Lois Jean Ulich of Soldotna Alaska, Bobby Lee Ulich and Kathleen Ann Ulich of Bandera, Texas; five grandchildren: William Lance Ulich of Portland, Oregon, Sheri Lyn Ulich of Portland, Oregon, Steven Curtis Ulich of Tucson, Arizona, Lisa Louise Martin of West, Texas, and Glyceria Tsinas of Seattle Washington; and nine great grandchildren: Basil Lee Ulich, Jordan David Ulich, Lucas Forrest Ulich, Alex William Ulich, Max Gaddis, Isabelle Gaddis, William Morrison, Derek Steven Twist, and Sawyer Lee Martin. Willie Lee attended Lyons Public School and Somerville High School, where he played basketball and football. As a boy growing up on a farm in rural Texas, he taught himself about farming and raising hogs and poultry. He also worked part time as a vehicle operator for highway construction contractors from 1936 to 1939. In 1939 Willie Lee had a banner year. He graduated from high school, married Esther Schoppe in Caldwell on June 28th, was named the National 4-H Club Boy, received a $300 scholarship, and started college. The scholarship was enough money in those days, with Esther working in the college laundry and Willie Lee working in the mess hall, to enable him to be the first in his family to go to college. From 1939 to 1943, Willie Lee was an undergraduate student and Student Assistant in the Agricultural Engineering Department at Texas A&M College. During this period Willie Lee and Esther lived in a small trailer he built and parked on a friend's land near the A&M campus. The day after he graduated from Texas A&M in February 1943 with a B. S. Degree in Agricultural Engineering, Willie Lee was inducted into the United States Army in San Antonio. From 1943 to 1946 he served as a student pilot, Instructor, Combat Pilot, and Operations Officer in the Army Air Corps. He flew B-24's for two years in India, Burma, and the China Theatre with 54 combat missions, 3 campaigns, and 9 citations and awards including the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with three clusters. After WWII was over, Willie Lee and his father built a house in Bryan, Texas near the Texas A&M campus. Willie Lee went back to school at A&M and earned a M. S. Degree in Agricultural Engineering with a minor in Civil Engineering in 1947. He also conducted research related to the mechanization of cotton production and worked for the Cooperative Agricultural Extension Service from 1948 to 1961. Willie Lee received a Doctorate in Public Administration from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1956. After graduating from Harvard he returned to College Station, Texas as a Supervisor of state-wide Agricultural Engineering educational programs, including power and machinery, electrification, soil and water conservation, and farm safety. He was a Registered Professional Engineer in Texas. He helped found the Faith United Church in Bryan. Dr. Ulich was Chairman of the Department of Agricultural Engineering at Texas Tech University in Lubbock from 1961-1974 and a Professor of Agricultural Engineering from 1961-1984. He was responsible for the administration and management of the department, supervised graduate students, and taught numerous courses in safety, environmental control, machinery design, product-processing plants, power unit design, and professional development. While in Lubbock, Willie and Esther were members of St. John�s United Methodist Church. Dr. Ulich was appointed by the Governor of Texas, confirmed by the Texas Senate, and served two terms on the Texas Air Control Board. Dr. Ulich was in the Air Force Reserves from 1946 to 1980, retiring as a Colonel. In addition to earning three college degrees, Colonel Ulich attended the National War College in Washington, D.C. and the Air University and Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama. In 1984 Colonel Ulich retired as Professor Emeritus and moved back to his parents' farm in Lyons, Texas. The Colonel rejoined the Lyons Evangelical United Church of Christ, located next to the retirement home he built mostly with his own hands. His hobbies were fishing and investing. He will be remembered for his lifelong traits of patience, frugality, active church participation and leadership, and for his gentle and loving care for his wife Esther. He lived his credo of �Do something; be somebody.� Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 31st, 2011 at the Lyons Evangelical United Church of Christ in Lyons, Texas. Pastor John Boydston will officiate. Interment will be in the Lyons Evangelical U. C. C. Cemetery. Graveside military rites will be performed. Visitation will be from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30th, 2011 at Strickland Funeral Home in Caldwell. Family members have requested that memorials be made to the

Lyons Evangelical United Church of Christ.