Carl R. Arbogast passed away on January 6, 2023, in McKinney, TX due to complications from dementia. He was 81.
Carl was born July 12, 1941, in Wichita, KS. He grew up in Burrton, KS until the family moved to Wichita, where he graduated from Southeast High School in 1959. He attended the University of Wichita for two years before going into full time employment in what proved to be a major part of his career in the petroleum industry.
In 1963 he returned to Wichita and married Mary (Jackie) Deming. He soon started a long career in law enforcement by graduating from the Wichita Police Department Training in 1964 where he started as a motorcycle patrolman and worked as a K-9 handler. In 1968 he was promoted to a detective and soon joined the newly created Wichita PD Narcotics Division as one of the original detectives, working on the first major international drug smuggling cases within the department. During his tenure at the PD, he received a Meritorious Service Award and an FBI Commendation.
Carl joined the Kansas Bureau of Investigation in 1970 as a Special Agent of the first Criminal Intelligence and Organized Crime Unit in the State. Five years into his tenure, he transferred to the Field Services Division as a Field Agent specializing in industrial crimes and particularly crimes unique to the petroleum industry. Ultimately, he was the lead agent in numerous multi-state investigations of petroleum crimes.
In 1980, Carl left public service for the private sector and moved his family to Texas. He took a position as Security Consultant for Sun Oil where he soon advanced to Senior Security Consultant at Sun Exploration and Production. His career responsibilities led him to travel extensively, both nationally and internationally, and he was able to maintain affiliations in the law enforcement world which he dearly loved. It was also here where he developed a long-term relationship with the Petroleum Industry Security Council.
Later, as the petroleum industry began to decline, Carl decided to combine his law enforcement background and petroleum industry experience and formed his own consulting company in 1990 which he ran until his illness began to take full hold. Specializing in private investigation, his cases spanned everything from corporate risk management to labor union disputes, from embezzlement to murder cases, all of which he was highly qualified to solve.
Although Carl’s physical address was in Texas for more than 40 years, he always considered Kansas home and regretted not being able to get “back home” in the latter years of his life.
Carl is preceded in death by his father Ralph E. Arbogast, mother Ruby K. Arbogast, and brother Ronald E. Arbogast.
He is survived by his immediate family in Texas: wife Mary (Jackie) Arbogast, daughters Trisha Bradshaw and David, Michelle Stephens and Mike, Kris O’Neal and Jim; grandchildren Jesse Douglas, Cody Douglas, Matt Douglas, Audrey McCroskey, Torey McCroskey, Alexandra Stephens, and Dana Mackey. He also had six great grandchildren, one niece; and many cousins still residing in KS.
A casual come and go reception will be held for friends and family at the Arbogast home on Feb 11, 2023, from 1p-4p. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Three Oaks Hospice in Dallas, TX.
Jim Woods January 19, 2023
K BI Ret Lawrence , Kansas