Matthew Ryan Spickard, a graduate student majoring in wildlife and fisheries science, died Oct. 28.
Jennifer Watkins, his older sister, said Spickard grew up loving animals, particularly bugs.
“My dad signed him up for t-ball,” she said. “But he wanted to be in the outfield and look at bugs instead.”
Watkins said when they lived in Arizona, there were fast-moving lizards, and one day their mom told him to go catch some to keep him busy for a little while.
“Within five minutes, he had not only caught two but had opened their mouths and clamped them onto his ears,” she said.
She said Spickard loved his dog, Ernie. He was very good with all dogs, and all dogs loved him.
“We joked and called him the dog whisperer,” she said.
Watkins said growing up they moved around a lot, so the two siblings were very close. She said even though she was very shy, her brother could make many friends very easily.
“Even if we lived somewhere for only a year or so, he would always have numerous friends to say goodbye to before we moved to our next house,” she said.
She said Spickard also showed interest in the Internet and computers since the early 1990s.
“He could answer any question or fix any problem,” she said. “He never bought a computer from Best Buy, but he would get parts and build it from the ground up.”
Watkins said her brother was a charmer and a big jokester but also very caring. He could always quickly think of something witty to say.
“He was always willing to help someone, always down to earth,” she said. “He was real genuine and would do anything for anyone.”
Watkins said Spickard graduated from Oklahoma State University in the spring of 2006 with a bachelor’s degree. He began his graduate studies at Mississippi State University in August 2007.
“It was difficult because Matt was over nine hours away from his family and only saw them a few times a year during his time in Starkville,” she said. “But he enjoyed what he was researching and found a group of friends to hang out with.”
Eric Dibble, a professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, worked closely with Spickard during his master’s research. He said he was working on a federally funded project with six lakes in the Mississippi delta. He had finished his research in the field and was currently working on his thesis.
“He was an excellent student, very intelligent and dependable,” he said. “I couldn’t ask for a better graduate student.”
Dibble said Spickard did a lot of training with undergraduates, both in the field and in the classroom, and said he was a born teacher. He said Spickard was always willing to help and always responed with, “No problem. I’ll take care of it.”
Dibble said he loved being out in the field doing research.
“It was always a pleasure to see his smiling face when he caught a fish,” he said.
Dibble said Spickard published a number of reports and received a posthumous Master’s degree from the College of Forest Resources at MSU.
“I was really proud of the amount of love he gave his family and the people around him,” he said.
Watkins said Spickard will always be remembered for his love of animals, his knowledge of random facts and his love for technology.
“He was such a great guy and will be remembered for how caring he was and his sense of humor,” she said.
“He was always willing to help someone, always down to earth,” she said. “He was real genuine and would do anything for anyone.”
Watkins said Spickard graduated from Oklahoma State University in the spring of 2006 with a bachelor’s degree. He began his graduate studies at Mississippi State University in August 2007.
“It was difficult because Matt was over nine hours away from his family and only saw them a few times a year during his time in Starkville,” she said. “But he enjoyed what he was researching and found a group of friends to hang out with.”
Eric Dibble, a professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, worked closely with Spickard during his master’s research. He said Spickard was working on a federally funded project with six lakes in the Mississippi Delta. Spickard had finished his research in the field and was currently working on his thesis.
“He was an excellent student, very intelligent and dependable,” he said. “I couldn’t ask for a better graduate student.”
Dibble said Spickard did a lot of training with undergraduates, both in the field and in the classroom, and said he was a born teacher. He said Spickard was always willing to help and always responded with, “No problem. I’ll take care of it.”
Dibble said he loved being out in the field doing research.
“It was always a pleasure to see his smiling face when he caught a fish,” he said.
Dibble said Spickard published a number of reports and received a posthumous master’s degree from the College of Forest Resources at MSU.
“I was really proud of the amount of love he gave his family and the people around him,” he said.
Watkins said Spickard will always be remembered for his love of animals, his knowledge of random facts and his love for technology.
“He was such a great guy and will be remembered for how caring he was and his sense of humor,” she said.

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