Charles (Chuck) P. Hibler, 85, passed away April 14. He was born in Austin, Texas, to Mason and Gladys Hibler and grew up in New Mexico.
He received his masters degree from Utah State University and his doctorate degree from Colorado State University. Hibler joined the Colorado State University faculty in 1965 and worked at CSU for 21 years in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences until his retirement. During his career, he served as a professor of parasitology, associate dean, and as director of the Wild Animal Disease Center.
Colleagues knew Hibler as a brilliant parasitologist in the CSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories who also had a great sense of humor. In 2011, he received the Emeritus Award from the Wildlife Disease Association at its 60th annual International Conference in Québec. The award is given annually in recognition of meritorious contributions to the study and understanding of diseases of wildlife.
Hibler’s parasitological research was varied, including many studies uncovering and elucidating ecological relationships among vertebrates, invertebrate intermediate hosts, and parasites. Much of the research of Hibler, his students, and colleagues addressed practical wildlife management and human health problems relating to wildlife parasites and disease. His studies led to discoveries such as lungworm transplacentally transmitted in bighorn sheep, Johne’s disease in bighorn sheep, chronic wasting disease in deer, waterborne giardiasis affecting domestic water supplies, and a protocol developed to protect water supplies. His conducted seminal research on Elaeophora schneideri in tabanids and mule deer and the impact of this system on sympatric wapiti. Editor of the Journal of Wildlife Diseases for seven years and former vice president of the association, he also received the group’s Distinguished Service Award in 1981.
Chuck was very proud of his service in the Navy during the Korean War. He enjoyed wildlife and the environment, hiking, fishing and cooking and his dogs. He loved living in Rist Canyon in the log home he built himself.
Chuck married Dr. Barb Powers on June 30, 1986, at the Danforth Chapel at CSU. She survives him. He is also survived by his children, Jim (Lynn) Hibler, Dean (Rhonda) Hibler, Randy (Lollian) Hibler, Leah (Ron) Powers, Greg (Lori) Hibler; grandchildren, Terese, Jake, Ellie, Peter, Jake, Julie, Joe, Felicia, Jordan, Jared, Falon, Stephanie; brother, Kinnard “Bud” (Kay) Hibler; sister, Joyce Burnett.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 30, at Allnutt Funeral Service, 650 W. Drake Road.
In lieu of flowers, a scholarship has been created in Dr. Hibler’s name. Please make checks payable to CSU Foundation and reference the Charles P. Hibler Memorial Scholarship in Wildlife Studies in the memo space. Send contributions to CSU Foundation, P. O. Box 1870. Fort Collins, CO 80522. Or, donate to the scholarship online.
Visit Chuck’s online memorial
