Gilman Teal Dedrick III

Gilman Teal Dedrick III ("Gillie"), age 88 died on Wednesday, November 16, 2022 with his loving family by his side. He was preceded in death by his parents Helen and Gilman Teal Dedrick Jr and infant son, John Jude Dedrick. Mr. Dedrick was born in Staten Island, NY and graduated from New Dorp High School in Staten Island where he played football on the legendary '49 Team that won the New York City Championship. It was also at this time he met the half Irish half Italian blue eyed brunette who became the love of his life. Gil spent summers in Vermont working on farms and developed a deep love for agriculture. Realizing this a local farmer, Roy Hickock, took Gil in hand to see the President of the University of Vermont who helped him to apply and obtain acceptance into the school. Thus, Gil attended the University of Vermont where played football and was a proud member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity and somehow managed to graduate in 1956 with a degree in Agricultural Economics and a minor in Poultry despite having what always sounded like way too much fun. Gil spent 55 years as an expert in the Poultry Industry with a focus on Egg Layer Production. Based in Ithaca, New York for 12 years and in Burnsville, Minnesota for 52 years he traveled the world in relation to the Poultry industry predominantly in the US, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Japan, France, Belgium, Holland and parts of the Caribbean. In his long career in poultry health, he served as sales representative and National Accounts Manager of the following companies: American Cyanamid, Heterochemical, Carbola Chemical, Tri Associates. In Poultry breeding with Babcock Poultry, ISA, Hendrix Genetics and Centurion Poultry. He also represented two oyster shell poultry feed additive companies. He retired as President of Global Poultry Marketing Services. After retirement, Mr. Dedrick served fourteen years as a consultant for farmers who wished to convert their egg-laying operations to certified organic egg production. Mr. Dedrick was a major influence in Organic Egg Production. His influence throughout the Poultry Industry spanned generations. Additionally, and most recently, Gil acted as an informal advisor to farmers he knew in the Midwest on the prevention of Avian Influenza. In addition to his profession, Gil applied his boundless energy in the local community with a focus on improving the lives of others. While in upstate New York, he served for seven years as the Democratic Chairman of the Township of Dryden, NY and was New York State Chairman of the Farmers for Kennedy during the time JFK ran for president. He was instrumental in organizing the local Farmers Union to apply and receive a federal license to operate a Head Start Program, the only farm organization in the US to obtain such a license. He then became the Executive Director of the Tompkins County (NY) Farmers Union Head Start Program. He was a founder and director of the Farmers Union Co-op. Gil also initiated the effort to acquire a USDA Farmers Home Administration loan of $3 million to build a sewer system and treatment plant available for rural communities under 2,500 residents. To secure the loan, he "reached across the aisle" and devised a strategy with his friend, the local Republican Mayor, to get local leaders on board with the project at a village meeting. Mr. Dedrick spent 4 years as Legislative Director of New York State Farmers Union. In 1965, the Union adopted a US Naval ship serving in The Vietnam War, the USS Richard E Kraus. Among other things, Mr. Dedrick enlisted the local 4-H Troop, run by his wife Pat, to bake cookies to send to the servicemen on board the ship. After moving to Minnesota he served two terms as president of CEAM The Chicken & Egg Association of Minnesota. In 1999 he assisted the Minnesota House of Representatives as a consultant on a study of "Salmonella Enterities in Commercial Eggs". He was a past president of the Burnsville Hockey Boosters. Mr. Dedrick served 10 years volunteering as Grounds Manager for the Walden Homeowners Association in Burnsville MN where he worked to secure a grant from the USDA Conservation Manager for removal of invasive species of buckthorn in the forested common grounds and organized the homeowners to conduct the removal process. He took great care and pride in the Walden Homeowners Association annual clean up as well as a tireless worker around his own house and lawn which was admired by many people. He was even known to sweep the street... in front of their house to prevent the driveway from dust and dirt. Further, Mr. Dedrick worked to obtain funds from the Environmental Protection Agency Superfund to clean up an accumulation of toxic compounds from the Walden Pond that resulted from the run-off from a nearby townhouse complex. Mr. Dedrick was a concerned Environmentalist reaching to both sides of the political aisle on order to get these things done. Mr. Dedrick was a veteran of the US Army and a proud supporter of the American Legion. While visiting his daughter in Southampton NY on Veterans Day, he was spotted in the crowd wearing his ever-present US Army Veterans cap and was called out by the marchers to join them in the village parade. It was a proud moment that he cherished for years. In 2013, the University of Vermont awarded him the honor of Outstanding Alumni of the Year and an Endowment was created in his name at the College of Agriculture. The Gil Dedrick Award funds research in diversified agricultural projects with a preference for topics involving animal-related agriculture. He is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Patricia, daughters, Pamela (Bob), Tracey (Alastair) and son Gilman Teal Dedrick IV as well as his sister Delayne Dedrick Gold (Laurence). We are comforted to know he will be greeting all his family and friends in heaven, eternally sharing with them his vast array of stories including some new ones they may not have heard. A Celebration of Life for Gil Dedrick will be held in the Spring of 2023 at Washburn McReavy Bloomington Chapel 2300 W Old Shakopee Road Bloomington, MN 55431. He will be buried at Fort Snelling Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Gil Dedrick Chair at the University of Vermont College of Agriculture or Tunnel to Towers Foundation would be much appreciated.

Tributes

Gilman Teal Dedrick III

February 7, 1934 - November 16, 2022

Tributes

Gilman Teal Dedrick III

February 7, 1934 - November 16, 2022

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