Pierre Crosson

Pierre Crosson, an internationally-known agricultural economist with Resources for the Future who specialized in agricultural sustainability and soil erosion, died November 24, 2004, in Frederick Maryland. He was seventy-eight. While not a geographer, he often worked in geographic ways, interacting with and even collaborating with geographers. His obituary in the Washington Post (November 28, 2004) described him as bringing “independence and real objectivity to a polarized debate.”

Pierre Crosson (Necrology). 2005. AAG Newsletter 40(3): 17.

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Edgar Conkling

Economic geographer Edgar “Ed” Conkling died November 24, 2004.

Born in Indiana in 1921, Edgar Conkling earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and sociology from Morehead State College, a master’s degree in sociology from the University of Chicago, and another master’s degree and a PhD in geography from Northwestern University. Beginning in 1961, Ed served as professor of economic geography at Kent State University and then at Queen’s University in Canada. In 1968, he moved to the State University of New York at Buffalo where he taught various courses in rural land use theory and regional development, economic geography, international trade, and regional economic integration until his retirement in 1989. During his tenure at SUNY at Buffalo, he was instrumental in creating the department’s undergraduate and graduate programs in international business, which built upon his earlier work as a manager of the home office of a multinational corporation headquartered in Chicago. He was Chair of the department from 1974-77.

In addition Conkling was Associate Editor (1963-64) and then Editor (1978-82) of The Professional Geographer, and Co-editor of the Annals of the AAG (1982-84). Among his publications are the following co-authored books: Geography of International Trade; The Geography of Economic Systems; Man’s Economic Environment; Economic Geography: Resource Use, Locational Choices, and Regional Specialization in the Global Economy; and The Global Economy: Resource Use, Locational Choice, and International Trade. Deeply involved in historic preservation during his retirement, he wrote Frederick Law Olmsted’s Point Chautauqua: The Story of an Historic Lakeside Community and was a founding member of the Point Chautauqua Historical Preservation Society.

Edgar “Ed” C. Conkling (Necrology). 2005. AAG Newsletter 40(3): 17.

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Curt Poulton

Curt A. Poulton, Senior Instructor at University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, died on November 22, 2004, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Born in St. Louis in 1931, Poulton served four years in the Air Force, and worked for 3M in Minnesota as a Product Design Engineer for much of his life. After leaving the position of Chief Engineer at a Colorado Springs firm in 1977, he set out to change his life by moving into academic geography. Curt received a BA in geography from CU-Colorado Springs, his MA from CU-Boulder, and then his PhD from the University of Minnesota in 1989 at the age of fifty-eight. He was employed as a Senior Instructor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs from 1990 until his death. An historical geographer by training, Curt’s specialty was in Western water policies and law, with a particular emphasis on the Pikes Peak region. Fluent in German, his latest work was a translation of My Farm on the Mississippi by Heinrich Hauser (University of Missouri Press).

On his tombstone, he had the title “Geographer” inscribed, along with the words: “I regret that the only thing I found myself helpless to teach was curiosity—Oh, that, and the proper use of the apostrophe.” He was a member of the AAG since 1981.

The Curt Poulton Memorial Scholarship has been established in his name through the CU Foundation. Remembrances and thoughts may be sent to Eve Gruntfest at ecg@uccs.edu.

Curt Poulton (Necrology). 2005. AAG Newsletter 40(11): 17.

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Macel Wheeler

Macel Marteva Wheeler, geography professor and coordinator of the geography program at Northern Kentucky University (NKU), died November 20, 2004.

Wheeler received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geography from Marshall University and her doctorate in geography from the University of Kentucky in 1978. Under her leadership, the NKU geography program expanded to include a concentration in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Her areas of expertise included cultural geography, North America, map studies and GIS, and reading skills. She also made contributions in brownfields research.

Macel M. Wheeler (Necrology). 2006. AAG Newsletter 41(2): 37.

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Leverett Paddock Hoag

Leverett Hoag, Professor Emeritus, University of Minnesota Duluth died Tuesday, November 16, 2004. He was a graduate of Moorhead State Teachers College High School in 1933 where he was valedictorian of his class. After completing a bachelor’s of education degree at Moorhead State Teachers College in 1937, Professor Hoag taught meteorology and navigation to flight school candidates, and he also served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. In 1958 he was awarded his PhD in geography from the University of Minnesota. He then began his teaching career at the University of Minnesota, Duluth (UMD), where he taught the core physical geography courses for twenty-six years. During his tenure at UMD he served as Department Head for eight years and on many campus committees including the Faculty Council and the University Wide Senate.

Professor Hoag was one of the two principle faculty members essential in the creation and building of the geography department at UMD. As a teacher, he firmly believed in the significant role of geography in the curriculum of the liberal arts college and that geography is orderly knowledge of the diversity of the earth.

Leverett Paddock Hoag. (Necrology). 2005. AAG Newsletter 40(9): 23.

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Jim Goodman

Long-time faculty member and former Chair of the Department of Geography at the University of Oklahoma, Jim Goodman passed away on November 15, 2004. .

James M. Goodman was born in Henryetta, Oklahoma on July 23, 1929. He earned his BA at the University of Oklahoma in 1952 and his MS and PhD at Northwestern University in 1953 and 1961, respectively. He taught at Western Kentucky State University (1956-64); Wisconsin State University-Oshkosh (1964-66); Oregon College of Education (1966-67); and the University of Oklahoma (1967-93), where he was Chair of the Department of Geography in his last seven years. During his tenure at OU, Jim was President of the National Council for Geographic Education (1980-81). He was founder and the first Director of the Oklahoma Alliance for Geographic Education. He was the author of The Navajo Atlas, which was published by the University of Oklahoma Press in 1982. After Jim retired from OU, he served as geographer-in-residence at the National Geographic Society in Washington, DC, for two years before moving with his wife Mary to Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Jim Goodman (Necrology). 2005. AAG Newsletter 40(11): 17.

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Robert Churchill

Longtime professor of geography at Middlebury College, Robert Russell “Rusty” Churchill, died November 14, 2004, in Burlington, Vermont.

He was born in Belvidere, Illinois on November 19, 1946, the son of Robert and Marjorie (Vandeburg) Churchill. Bob received his BS and MS from Northern Illinois University, and his PhD from the University of Iowa. He joined the geography department faculty of Middlebury College in 1978. His interest in cartography led to the establishment of Middlebury’s program in geographic information systems and his fascination with maps drove his research and publishing. Bob was passionate about teaching and was an avid outdoorsman, leading field trips to Alaska and northern Canada.

Robert Russell “Rusty” Churchill (Necrology). 2005. AAG Newsletter 40(1): 16.

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Ralph Brown

Ralph C. Brown, Professor Emeritus, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, died November 14, 2004.

Born in Buffalo, New York, November 17, 1922, Brown earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Buffalo and a PhD in geography from Syracuse University.

He served in the Army during World War II and was involved in thirty-five combat missions over enemy territory in B17s. He was a licensed single engine land and seaplane pilot and flew extensively, enhancing geographic observations particularly in Alaska and the rural lower
forty-eight states.

He was Chair of the departments of geography at Universities in New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and North Dakota. He retired in 1985 as Professor Emeritus, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

Ralph C. Brown (Necrology). 2005. AAG Newsletter 40(3): 17.

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William Wallace

Retired forty-year University of New Hampshire professor, William H. Wallace died of liver cancer on October 29, 2004. He was born in Chicago, December 10, 1924. After attending Beloit College in Wisconsin, Wallace entered the graduate program in geography at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, receiving his Master of Science degree in 1950 and his PhD in 1956. His first academic position was at the University of Auckland in 1952. After returning to the U.S. in 1954, Wallace joined the faculty of Rutgers University.

Wallace began an appointment at the University of New Hampshire in 1956 and served on the faculty for forty years, retiring in 1997. He introduced the major program in geography in 1964 and established the Department of Geography in 1968. Wallace served as chair of the Department of Geography for twenty-four years. He was awarded a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship in 1963 and was a Fulbright lecturer in Norway in 1971. Wallace was active in the AAG, the New England-St. Lawrence Valley Geographical Society and the Eastern Historical Geography Association. His most recent scholarship focused on the Historical Geography of New England, particularly issues of colonial settlement and land division. Earlier in his career he wrote extensively about railroads.

William Wallace (Necrology). 2005. AAG Newsletter 40(11): 17.

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Robert Fuson

Robert Henderson Fuson, aged seventy-seven, died October 22, 2004. He was a scholar of Columbus and the age of exploration.

Born in Bloomington, Indiana, Fuson grew up in New Bern, North Carolina.

He served in both the army and navy during World War II. During the Korean War, he held a commission in the air force reserve. Following his military service, he was an intelligence analyst in Washington, DC.

Fuson received his BA degree from Indiana University, an MA degree in geography from Florida State University and his PhD in geography and anthropology from Louisiana State University. He was a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. He was a charter faculty member of the University of South Florida and served for many years as chairman of the geography department, retiring as professor emeritus of geography. He is the author of numerous books, including the textbook Fundamental Place Name Geography, now in its ninth printing. His other books include The Log of Christopher Columbus that won worldwide acclaim and was awarded the Montroll Special Award from the New York Academy of Science and Book of the Year from the Library Journal. His latest books were Legendary Islands of the Ocean Sea, and Ponce de Leon and the Spanish Discovery of Puerto Rico and Florida.

Robert Fuson (Necrology). 2004. AAG Newsletter 39(11): 20

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