IN MEMORIAM
Alvis L. Lisenbee, MEM-1747 Rapid City, South Dakota
December 3, 1940 - November 16, 2018
Member Since 2009 The Department of Geology and Geological Engineering at
the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (SDSM&T) has lost one of the giants in its history. Dr. Alvis L. Lisenbee, 77, died Friday, November 16th, 2018, of complications fol- lowing surgery at the Rapid City Regional Health Home Plus Hospice. He joined the faculty at SDSM&T in 1972, served as department head from 1978-1985, and retired in 2006 after 34 years of distinguished service to the university as well as to the State of South Dakota.
As an emeritus professor, Dr. Lisenbee was very active in outreach activities including the Journey Museum, the Darton Geological Society, Road Scholars, and the Elderhostel; he also continued his active research program with the other faculty and graduate students in the department in addition to teaching at the various field camps throughout the year for the Black Hills Natural Sciences Field Station. It was only five weeks before he passed that Dr. Lisenbee led a memorable field trip for the students and faculty in the department to the Bighorns uplift and the Powder River basin. He was in his element whether on an uplift or a plate boundary, enlightening all around on the structural and tectonic implications.
We will always remember Dr. Lisenbee not only for how
effective he was as a teacher, but also how he cared about the students, even to the extent of lending them money to get out of a jam. Dr. Lisenbee also contributed greatly to the understanding of Black Hills geology, especially in the nature and timing of the Laramide uplift.
Along with graduate students under his direction as well as colleagues, Dr. Lisenbee spent much of his time in the field, and as a result compiled many 7.5’ geologic quadrangle maps. Being a structural and tectonics geologist, his research ranged widely with applications in oil and gas, metallic ore deposits, and hydrology. He authored and coauthored many significant publications, including the Tectonic Map of the Black Hills uplift and numerous publications on Laramide structures in the Rocky Mountains, with particular emphasis on the history
Thomas W. Swinehart, CPG-3637 Lancaster, Ohio
September 21, 1943 - December 20, 2018 Member Since 1976
Excerpt from Thomas’ obituary - “Thomas Warren Swinehart, 75 of Lancaster, Ohio, a devoted husband, loving father, and grandfather, went to be with the Lord on Thursday, December 20, 2018, surrounded by family. Tom was born on September 21, 1943, to Carl Francis and Wilhelmina (Mina) Daus Swinehart. He is survived by his wife, Carol, brother, Richard of Willoughby, Ohio, two sons William Carl of Illinois and his children Benjamin Thomas, Bridget Diane and Abigail Joyce and son Kurtis Andrew (Josephine) of Rhode Island and his daughter, Kaitlyn Sophia. Tom gradu- ated from Cleveland Heights High School, obtained his under- graduate degree at Muskingum University. He received a Masters Degree in Geology from Miami University in 1969 and was immediately drafted. Tom served his country in Vietnam September 1969 to April 1971 in the Army as a Sergeant in
www.aipg.org
the Military Police. On returning to the states he married Carol K. Foss on June 12, 1971, in Stamford, CT. They were happily married for 47 years. Tom worked as a geologist with AEP for 28 years, first in Charleston, WVA (1971), then was moved to Athens, Ohio (1972-1977) and finally to Lancaster, Ohio. He resided in Lancaster from 1977 to his death. After retiring from AEP in 1999, he started working as a financial advisor for CKFS Web Page Design, LLC. While working in that capacity, he began to delve into community service. He served on the finance committee and board of the United Methodist Community Ministries. He was the President of the local section of SME (Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration) and yearly meeting planner. He was a longtime member of the AAPG (American Association of Petroleum Geologists). He was currently serving as the secretary and had served as an at-large member of the AIPG Ohio Section (American Institute of Professional Geologists). ”
Apr.May.Jun 2019 • TPG 37 Photo credit: Harry Filkorn, Ph.D., Pierce College
and characteristics of the Black Hills uplift. Dr. Lisenbee also conducted research in Nevada and New Mexico in collaboration with mining and oil companies and geological surveys. From the time of his doctoral research in western Turkey until the summer of 2018 at his last Taskesti field camp, he developed a comprehensive understanding of the tectonics of Turkey and its complex arrangement of accreted microplates. By the time of his passing, he had almost completed a structural contour map of the Niobrara Formation from the Black Hills south to the Wyoming Colorado border. The hope is that the department will be able to facilitate the completion of this map, which also shows the distribution of major structures and oil and gas fields.
Prof. Lisenbee was born in Lamesa, TX, and grew up in
Artesia, NM. He earned his bachelor and master’s degrees in Geology from the University of New Mexico, and his Ph.D. from Penn State. He is survived by his partner, Kathleen Christopherson, seven stepchildren and 18 grandchildren, as well as a large circle of loving friends.
Contributed by Colin Paterson, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, SDSM&T, and Christopher Pellowski, Ph.D., SDSM&T. The last paragraph of information from public sources has been added by the Editor.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
