GSOC Past Presidents 65-69

1965

Frederick Earl Miller

Frederick Earl Miller was born in Chinook, Montana, on April 25, 1911. His father came from Patterson, New Jersey, and worked as a plumber and sheet metal man. His mother was born in Rochester, Indiana, and was a trained nurse. The family came to the West after World War I and young Frederick entered the fifth grade at the Brooklyn Grade School in Portland. After finishing Benson Polytechnic High School, he went to Oregon State University and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1936.

Frederick is a member of the Professional Engineers of Oregon and is a Registered Professional Engineer. He now is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. He has been affiliated with Toastmasters since 1956. He is a registered parliamentarian with the National Association of Parliamentarians and a certified parliamentarian with the American Institute of Parliamentarians. He became interested in duodecimals while in college and is a member of the Duodecimal Society of America.

Frederick and Lillian M. Passmore were married on May 22, 1937, in Portland. They have one son, Raymond T., born Dec. 13, 1939, who is married to Linda Singmaster. Their two children are Jaye Ann and Raymond Scott. Their daughter, Doris F. born March 26, 1944, is married to David Cruickshank. The Millers are members of the Trinity Baptist Church.

Since March 1941, Frederick has been employed as a Supervising engineer with the Pacific Northwest Bell Telephone Company. In March 1969, he presented a paper to the Portland Section of the IEEE entitled "A Solution of Intermodulation Problems by Use of the Time Shared Computer."

His hobbies are many and varied. Since living as a small boy in Montana, He has collected rocks and minerals. He became interested in photography in high school. Electronics have fascinated him since the first grade and he now holds an Amateur Radio license with a call sign W7KJC. Various phases of chemistry also claim his attention.

In I960, Frederick learned about the Geological Society from Franklin Monroe Brown who was then president while they were attending a meeting of the Institute of Radio Engineers. The fascination resulted with his taking a three term sequence course in geology at Portland State University from Ralph Mason. He has also attended the GSOC School courses. In 1963 he was elected a Director of the Society, vice-president in 1964, and president in 1965.

The theme of his presidency was "The Four Dimensions of Geology." He attributes his successful regime to the enthusiastic field trip leader, Lee Gavigan, and the excellent work done in the area of maps and trip logs by Paul Howell.

President Miller's camp-out at Delintment Lake was the third such venture for the society. It was held from June 19 through June 26, 1965, and nearly 100 members and friends attended the turnout. A humorous account of the many events by George Dahlin is published in the August 1965, Newsletter.

1966

Lloyd Albert Wilcox

Lloyd Albert Wilcox was born in Grass Valley, Oregon, on September 22, 1915. He was the only son of Lloyd A. and Florence M. Wilcox who owned and operated a wheat ranch in that area.

Lloyd received his elementary education in Portland, Oregon; Sacramento, California; and Bend, Oregon. He was graduated from Bend High School in 1932 after which he attended Business College in Portland until 1936 when he had to give up school and look for work.

He went to work for the Southern Pacific Railroad until in 1942, labor trouble caused a change of jobs. He then started to work for the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway and after twenty-five years of travel through the Columbia Gorge and the Deschutes Canyon, he became curious as to how and why they originated. Norman Cooper, then a member, introduced us to the Geological Society in 1963. He joined immediately and has been learning ever since.

Lloyd married Reba F. Geer of Salem on February 11, 1939. Three children were born to them: Jerry, 1939; Melvin, 1941; and Karmin, 1944. At present there are five grandchildren.

Mr. Wilcox served the Society as President in 1966; was on the Executive Board in 1966, 1967, 1968; co-chairman of field trips for 1968; Master of Ceremonies for the 1968 banquet; and chairman of the Past President's Panel (P3) 1969 and 1970.

Mr. Wilcox continues to be employed in communications for the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway which has just merged (March 1970) with four other lines to form the Burlington Northern.

Lloyd states that he is intensely interested in people and natural science but is too indolent to pursue an active course of study in either subject.

Lloyd Wilcox led the 1966 President's Camp-out from the base camp at Todd Lake on Century Drive from August 13 to 19. There were 49 participants and 14 visitors and members who attended the camp-fire sessions, making 63 in all. For complete coverage see the Oct. 1966, Newsletter.

1967

Ralph Stevenson Mason

Ralph Stevenson Mason (middle name after Robert Louis Stevenson, but not related) was born in Hood River, Oregon in 1912. His father was a civil engineer. Ralph grew up in Parkdale, Oregon and graduated from Parkdale High School. He attended the University of Oregon where he majored in journal­ism up into his senior year. At this time he became interested in geology and transferred to Oregon State College where he majored in geology and mining and obtained his BS degree in 1957.

A geode triggered Ralph's interest in geology. He found it in 1934 while exploring the canyon wall of the east fork of Hood River. Not knowing what the object was, he showed it to Dr. McKitrick in the geology department at the University of Oregon. The explanation so intrigued him that he enrolled in a basic course in geology taught by Dr. Warren D. Smith at the University of Oregon, and then went on to make this field his career.

Ralph married Dorothy Dill in 1938. They have a daughter, Michele, and a son, Bruce. Both children are married.

In 1943, Ralph joined the staff of the State of Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, where he has been employed ever since. His position is that of Mining Engineer. In addition to this work, he has for a number of years been teaching evening courses in geology at Portland State University Extension Division. He has made innumerable appearances before groups and on TV to speak on geologic subjects.

At the present time, Ralph is a member of the following organizations; American Institute of Mining Engineers, Oregon Academy of Science, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, and the Geological Society of the Oregon Country. He serves on the State Mapping Advisory Committee and the Governor's Committee on Synthetic Chemicals in the Environment.

His training in journalism has served Ralph well in the numerous publications on geology and mining that he has either authored or co-authored. For the Department he helped prepare bulletins on coal and ferruginous bauxite, wrote chapters on coal, iron, clay, and other nonmetallic minerals; for the recent bulletin on the mineral resources of Oregon.

He collaborated with. Ira A. Allison on a report on sodium salts in Lake County, with J.E. Allen on a brick and tile industry report, wrote a paper on the lightweight aggregate industry of the state, and prepared a key to the Oregon Mineral Deposits Map. For the Ore Bin, he has compiled annual summaries of the state's mineral Industry and has contributed articles on a wide range of subjects. His non-department publications include a USGS circular with M.I. Irwin on coal resources in Oregon; various articles on lightweight aggregates for industrial magazines; articles for the GSOC Newsletter; and reports on glacier studies for the Mazama magazine.

He has been the geology instructor at Camp Hancock for several sessions.

He led his President's Camp-out on July 22 to 50, 1968 from the Tilly Jane Forest Camp on the north side of Mt. Hood.

Mr. Mason's favorite hobby is woodworking in his basement workshop. He also likes to travel and take scenic geologic photographs. His wife, Dorothy, is the editor of the OMSI Pendulum.

1968

Donald Duncan Barr

Donald Duncan Barr was born January 19, 1920, at St. Paul, Minnesota. John D. Barr, his father, was from Canada and his mother, Emily, was born in Wisconsin.

Mr. Barr attended the University of Minnesota and earned an Associate Arts degree in 1945. He further studied at the University of British Columbia during 1946 and 1947. He completed work for a B.S. degree in 1949 at Lewis and Clark College and a M.Ed, in 1951. His M.S. was accomplished at Oregon State University in 1970. In the academic years of 1962-63, he received a National Science foundation grant and was chosen to become a research intern for 1969 to 1971 also aided by a federal grant. Donald and Dorothy were married in 1948 and they have two children. Heather was born in 1952 and Alan in 1953.

Mr. Barr’s days, evenings, school year and summers are spent in related science fields of endeavor. By day from 1950 to 1970 he has been teaching biology in the Portland Public Schools. He has taught general science at the Portland Community College, and in the Portland evening high school, and natural history, 1967 - 1969, in the Beaverton Adult Education program. He is employed in the research department of the Portland Public schools, and is a National Science foundation writer on the secondary school science project. He is presently teaching and counseling at Jackson High School.

Being a Camp Leader is one of Mr. Barr's first loves. He was the Director of Camp Hancock in 1964, Camp Arago in 1965, and Damp Alpine in 1968. He led the OMSI Science Tours in 1965 and 1968.

Mr. Barr is affiliated with organizations pertaining to his varied interests. He is a member of the Wilderness Society, the Native Plant Society, the Audubon Society (National and Local), the Geological Society of the Oregon Country, the National Association of Biology Teachers, and the National Association of Geology Teachers. He is a member of St. Mark's Presbyterian Church. "Build It Yourself- Science Equipment" was the title of an article he wrote for the Portland Public Schools. He has also written for the Canadian Audubon Society Journal and the Western Conservation Journal.

The theme of the programs during his presidency was Historical Geology. His President's Camp-Out was held at Camp Arago at Coos Bay, Oregon. During his term of office the Society made the move to OMSI for the Meeting nights and maintains a permanent Library room. It was also the first year of the winter G.S.O.C. lectures open for public registrants. Mr. Barr is especially proud of the financial and permanent building structures that were contributed to Camp Hancock during 1967-1968.

1969

Wallace Riley McClung

Wallace Riley McClung, the son of Donald R. and Olive D. McClung, was born in Portland, Oregon in 1920. His father was the utility executive for Pacific Power and Light Company. Both of his parents were outdoor enthusiasts, so at a very early age he acquired an affection and respect for nature.

He attended Rose City Grade School, Grant High School, Reed College, and the University of Oregon. While a youth he became active in Boy Scouts and attained the rank of Eagle Scout. During the two years at Reed his interests were in the field of Liberal Arts, but at the University he declared his major as Business Administration.

World War II broke out during his senior year, so he resigned from school and enlisted in the Air Force as a private. Shortly after enlisting in the Army Air Force he was accepted by the Officer Candidate School at Miami, Florida. Upon graduation he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. After four years active duty in Central and South America, he went on inactive duty status as a captain in the Air force Reserve.

After he returned from duty, the University of Oregon accepted his earned credits and granted him a Bachelor of Science degree in June 1942. In 1950 he married Sylvia Barendrick of McMinnville, and three children: Gregory, Stephen, and Jan were born.

In business activities he has followed the sales field, For many years he has specialized in the electrical advertising industry.

Wallace McClung's avocations continued along outdoor lines, which included angling, camping, and photography. It was in the pursuit of these activities in Central Oregon that he gradually became curious about land forms and their historical sequence. He contacted the Oregon State Department of Geology and Mineral industries and inquired as to where information could be obtained. He was directed to the Geological Society of the Oregon Country. His interest and contribution to the Society has become outstanding in that since becoming a member in 1966, he has served on many committees, was vice president in 1969, and then became the thirty-fifth president.

He held the 7th President's Camp-out at the Ochoco Summit Forest Camp and many field trips were held in the Mitchell - John Day area with sometimes 75 people in attendance.

As a member of the executive committee and as Editor of the Newsletter for a second term, he continues to serve the Society.