Former Clear Lake councilman Wicker dies

CLEAR LAKE — Former Clear Lake City Councilman Ned Wicker has died. Wicker served as the Second Ward councilman from 1978-81 and from 1990-2005. Wicker was honored at the start of Monday night’s City Council meeting.

Current Second Ward Councilman Bennett Smith, who was acting as mayor pro-tem for the meeting, grew up in the same neighborhood as Wicker.  “Ned was a long-serving Second Ward council member, and a wonderful public servant. His family lived just down the street from me, I grew up with them, his son was a classmate of mine, and he will be dearly missed. It’s altogether fitting that the Second Ward council seat is empty this evening to commemorate his life and service to this community. I would ask everyone to keep his family in our prayers in this difficult time.”

The seat usually occupied by the Second Ward councilman was empty with flowers placed on the table in front of it.

Councilwoman Beth Ann Schumacher taught Wicker’s children in high school and Wicker would also help out frequently in her class.  “Ned would often come to my American Government classroom to give us the wisdom of city government in Clear Lake, and that was always a joy to have him join our classroom. Once in a while, he would pop into my sociology class and talk about civil rights issues, and that was always very interesting as well. Ned was always a welcome face at the school, a great public servant, and a joy to be around. He indeed will be missed.”

Wicker died on February 24th in Kanab Utah at the age of 86.