[meteorite-list] Richard Norton memorial

From: Bob Holmes <beardownbob_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat, 4 Jul 2009 17:14:28 -0700
Message-ID: <2bc48ad00907041714q2d213866tcf7e352665d34135_at_mail.gmail.com>

I'm posting this on behalf of Dave Mouat.

Dear Listees

Last Sunday, I had the honor to pay tribute to a man I have known for
more than a third of a century (that's right: over 33 years, I was a
young Prof at the U of AZ and he was a young but slightly older person
who was talking about the desirability of a planetarium at the UofA).
I later found out that he was also a faculty (earlier) at the place I
now work: the Desert Research Institute of the Nevada System of Higher
Education. Quite a coincidence.
The Memorial for Richard took place at the home of Dorothy Norton in
Bend, Oregon, where they had lived for over 20 years (and a beautiful
home it is).
Dorothy had asked me to say something about Richard, the scientist and
meteoriticist. I borrowed a couple of pieces from his collection and
augmented them with some of my own. I added anecdotes about Richard's
passion and dedication as a scientist (somewhat of a rarity as a lot
of us plod through our work rather than tackle it with the fervor and
enthusiasm of a post doc). I also mentioned how Richard had argued
with the serious research community involved with meteorites that the
hobby had added material for researchers not taken it away from them
(of course, this is still a bit controversial). I mentioned the
articles and explanations that Richard patiently gave us.
There were no people at the Memorial who knew him as a scientist save
for a neurologist, they were mostly music lovers, a side of Richard
that most of the meteorite community was not aware, and the gathering
was astounded to hear how we (and you) regarded him. I think the one
thing that was so special was a book of contributions of special
memories from you Listees that someone decided to print out on heavy
paper as a lasting testiment for Dorothy to treasure and cherish.
Even the gathering there was moved by the words that many of you
wrote.
I am honored and proud to be among you.

In fond memory of Richard

Dave
Received on Sat 04 Jul 2009 08:14:28 PM PDT