It is with great sadness that EGG-NEWS reports on the passing of Dr. Arthur Alton Bickford on July 29th after a long illness bravely endured.
Raised on a farm in northern Vermont, he attended the University of Vermont, followed by the University of Pennsylvania where he graduated with the DVM degree in 1960. He received MS and Ph. D. degrees from Purdue University and was Board Certified in veterinary pathology. He served in faculty positions at Purdue University, the University of Missouri and the University of California. At the time of his retirement in 2001, he was Chief of the Turlock Laboratory and Associate Director of the California Department of Agriculture Laboratory System.
He was active in professional associations including the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American College of Veterinary Pathologists where he served as president , The American college of Poultry Veterinarians as a Founder Member and was a driving force for the Western Poultry Disease Conference and the Western Veterinary Conference. He received the CA Bottorff Award from the AAAP in 1995 and the E.P. Polk Award from the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians in 2001. His civic involvement included public service organizations including Rotary and Kiwanis.
The California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory in Turlock will be named the Arthur A. Bickford-Bruce R. Charlton Turlock Laboratory in honor of the contributions made by Art and his colleague, Dr. Bruce Charlton, who also recently passed.
It is a personal recollection that Art was always ready to help and guide colleagues and he served as a mentor and role model for young poultry professionals. He gave generously of his time and energy to his vocation and to society. He will be sadly missed.
Donations in his memory can be made to the Arthur A. Bickford Endowed Avian Residency Program Fund, established in 2018 https://give.U. C.Davis.edu/VRVN/123505