Dr. Maria Luisa (Weecha) Crawford - Bryn Mawr College
I am deeply saddened to transmit the passing of Maria Luisa (Weecha) Crawford. I largely knew Weecha from a distance; however, I was fortunate enough to have spent time with her on field trips and to have conspired with her to write a summary paper on metamorphism in the Coast Mountains of BC and AK. Weecha was a leader in her field who played an important role in many students lives and careers. I miss her indomitable spirit.
Harold
Harold Stowell
Professor of Geology
Geological Sciences
The University of Alabama
201 7th Ave, Tuscaloosa AL
35487-0338
Forwarded from Dr. Arlo Brandon Weil, Marion Bridgman Slusser Professor in the Sciences, Department Chair, Department of Geology, Bryn Mawr College
Subject: Dr. Weecha Crawford - Bryn Mawr College Geology
Dear Friends of Weecha Crawfrod and alumni of the Bryn Mawr College Geology Department,
It is with great sadness that I report the passing of Dr Maria Luisa (Weecha) Crawford this past weekend. She died peacefully and with no complications following a short time in hospice care. Weecha was a guiding light for our department for generations and was certainly an inspiration and important mentor to me when I first arrived at Bryn Mawr in the fall of 2001. Though she retired relatively soon after I arrived, I was fortunate enough to get to know Weecha on both a professional and personal level, and I am all the better for it. Her dedication to high caliber scholarship, science outreach, and to the rigorous teaching of Earth materials was an inspiration to us all.
Weech was born July 18, 1939, in Beverly, Massachusetts, and 21 years later in 1960, received her Bachelor of Arts degree in geology from Bryn Mawr. After taking a year leave as a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Oslo in Norway, Weecha began graduate work at The University of California at Berkely. It was there that she met her lifelong partner William ‘Bill’ Crawford. Weecha graduated with a PhD. in Geology in 1965 at the age of 26 and immediately was offered a faculty position at her alma mater Bryn Mawr, where she would go onto have a 40 plus year career.
Weecha published over 70 peer reviewed articles that focused on the mineralogy and petrology of the Earth’s crust as it related to continental crust formation and the evolution of our planet. Her main geographical areas of focus were the Appalachian Piedmont province and the Coast Complex of the North American Cordillera in Alaska and British Columbia. Though geography didn’t limit Weecha’s scholarship as she also worked extensively on lunar samples returned to Earth by the Apollo missions. In the later stages of Weecha’s career she began to diversify her scholarship and was integral in starting up one of the first large-scale and comprehensive geologic database projects called GEON.
Weecha retired as a fulltime faculty member in 2006. Throughout her career she received numerous accolades for her excellence in the field, in the laboratory, and in the classroom. She was awarded the 1988 Outstanding Educator Award from the Association for Women Geoscientists, and in 1993 she was awarded a MacArthur ‘Genius’ Fellowship for advancing the understanding of the Earth’s resources through her study of metamorphic petrology and geologic terranes. Weecha’s infectious energy, love for geology, and incredibly sharp mind will be missed by many. I have set up a memorial website for friends, colleagues, and past students to post remembrances, stories, and photos to be shared with our broader community. If there are folks that you think would appreciate this information, feel free to share.
Memorial website: https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/JXKt3EGr
Memorial Service: Weecha's family has decided to have a funeral and burial in the Spring of 2024. It will take place on Saturday, May 18 (time TBD, but likely at 10:00 or 11:00 am)
Sincerely,
Arlo Weil
Dr. Arlo Brandon Weil
Marion Bridgman Slusser Professor in the Sciences
Department Chair
Department of Geology
Bryn Mawr College
101 North Merion Ave.
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
(610)526-5113
aweil@brynmawr.edu
Weecha Crawford was an early leader in modern quantitative metamorphic petrology and applications to tectonic problems. When I was still a student, she generously took me into the field to examine Wissahickon schist and the Honeybrook anorthosite. It was a pleasure to get to know her better, some years later, when she and Bill spent their sabbaticals in Madison. She was always a gracious and considerate person.
John W. Valley,
Charles R. Van Hise Distinguished Professor
Department of Geoscience
1215 W. Dayton St
University of Wisconsin
Madison, WI 53706, USA
phone: 608-263-5659
email: valley@geology.wisc.edumailto:valley@geology.wisc.edu
From: Harold Stowell via MSA-talk msa-talk@minlists.org
Date: Thursday, November 16, 2023 at 1:01 PM
To: msa-talk@minlists.org msa-talk@minlists.org
Subject: [MSA-talk] Dr. Maria Luisa (Weecha) Crawford - Bryn Mawr College
I am deeply saddened to transmit the passing of Maria Luisa (Weecha) Crawford. I largely knew Weecha from a distance; however, I was fortunate enough to have spent time with her on field trips and to have conspired with her to write a summary paper on metamorphism in the Coast Mountains of BC and AK. Weecha was a leader in her field who played an important role in many students lives and careers. I miss her indomitable spirit.
Harold
Harold Stowell
Professor of Geology
Geological Sciences
The University of Alabama
201 7th Ave, Tuscaloosa AL
35487-0338
Forwarded from Dr. Arlo Brandon Weil, Marion Bridgman Slusser Professor in the Sciences, Department Chair, Department of Geology, Bryn Mawr College
Subject: Dr. Weecha Crawford - Bryn Mawr College Geology
Dear Friends of Weecha Crawfrod and alumni of the Bryn Mawr College Geology Department,
It is with great sadness that I report the passing of Dr Maria Luisa (Weecha) Crawford this past weekend. She died peacefully and with no complications following a short time in hospice care. Weecha was a guiding light for our department for generations and was certainly an inspiration and important mentor to me when I first arrived at Bryn Mawr in the fall of 2001. Though she retired relatively soon after I arrived, I was fortunate enough to get to know Weecha on both a professional and personal level, and I am all the better for it. Her dedication to high caliber scholarship, science outreach, and to the rigorous teaching of Earth materials was an inspiration to us all.
Weech was born July 18, 1939, in Beverly, Massachusetts, and 21 years later in 1960, received her Bachelor of Arts degree in geology from Bryn Mawr. After taking a year leave as a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Oslo in Norway, Weecha began graduate work at The University of California at Berkely. It was there that she met her lifelong partner William ‘Bill’ Crawford. Weecha graduated with a PhD. in Geology in 1965 at the age of 26 and immediately was offered a faculty position at her alma mater Bryn Mawr, where she would go onto have a 40 plus year career.
Weecha published over 70 peer reviewed articles that focused on the mineralogy and petrology of the Earth’s crust as it related to continental crust formation and the evolution of our planet. Her main geographical areas of focus were the Appalachian Piedmont province and the Coast Complex of the North American Cordillera in Alaska and British Columbia. Though geography didn’t limit Weecha’s scholarship as she also worked extensively on lunar samples returned to Earth by the Apollo missions. In the later stages of Weecha’s career she began to diversify her scholarship and was integral in starting up one of the first large-scale and comprehensive geologic database projects called GEON.
Weecha retired as a fulltime faculty member in 2006. Throughout her career she received numerous accolades for her excellence in the field, in the laboratory, and in the classroom. She was awarded the 1988 Outstanding Educator Award from the Association for Women Geoscientists, and in 1993 she was awarded a MacArthur ‘Genius’ Fellowship for advancing the understanding of the Earth’s resources through her study of metamorphic petrology and geologic terranes. Weecha’s infectious energy, love for geology, and incredibly sharp mind will be missed by many. I have set up a memorial website for friends, colleagues, and past students to post remembrances, stories, and photos to be shared with our broader community. If there are folks that you think would appreciate this information, feel free to share.
Memorial website: https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/JXKt3EGr
Memorial Service: Weecha's family has decided to have a funeral and burial in the Spring of 2024. It will take place on Saturday, May 18 (time TBD, but likely at 10:00 or 11:00 am)
Sincerely,
Arlo Weil
Dr. Arlo Brandon Weil
Marion Bridgman Slusser Professor in the Sciences
Department Chair
Department of Geology
Bryn Mawr College
101 North Merion Ave.
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
(610)526-5113
aweil@brynmawr.edu
I'm so sorry to learn of Weecha Crawford's passing. She was a great
geologist and a great person. She gave generously of her time to show me
and my petrology class important and instructive outcrops around the
Philadelphia area. Subsequent class trips to Philly were continued during
my entire career at Lafayette College. Weecha will be remembered by many as
an excellent geologist. I will remember her as well as a person who gave
generously of her time and whose positive influence extended far beyond
Bryn Mawr. - Guy Hovis
On Thu, Nov 16, 2023 at 2:02 PM Harold Stowell via MSA-talk <
msa-talk@minlists.org> wrote:
I am deeply saddened to transmit the passing of Maria Luisa (Weecha)
Crawford. I largely knew Weecha from a distance; however, I was fortunate
enough to have spent time with her on field trips and to have conspired
with her to write a summary paper on metamorphism in the Coast Mountains of
BC and AK. Weecha was a leader in her field who played an important role in
many students lives and careers. I miss her indomitable spirit.
Harold
Harold Stowell
Professor of Geology
Geological Sciences
The University of Alabama
201 7th Ave, Tuscaloosa AL
35487-0338
Forwarded from Dr. Arlo Brandon Weil, Marion Bridgman Slusser Professor
in the Sciences, Department Chair, Department of Geology, Bryn Mawr College
Subject: Dr. Weecha Crawford - Bryn Mawr College Geology
Dear Friends of Weecha Crawfrod and alumni of the Bryn Mawr College
Geology Department,
It is with great sadness that I report the passing of Dr Maria Luisa
(Weecha) Crawford this past weekend. She died peacefully and with no
complications following a short time in hospice care. Weecha was a guiding
light for our department for generations and was certainly an inspiration
and important mentor to me when I first arrived at Bryn Mawr in the fall of
2001. Though she retired relatively soon after I arrived, I was fortunate
enough to get to know Weecha on both a professional and personal level, and
I am all the better for it. Her dedication to high caliber scholarship,
science outreach, and to the rigorous teaching of Earth materials was an
inspiration to us all.
Weech was born July 18, 1939, in Beverly, Massachusetts, and 21 years
later in 1960, received her Bachelor of Arts degree in geology from Bryn
Mawr. After taking a year leave as a Fulbright Fellow at the University of
Oslo in Norway, Weecha began graduate work at The University of California
at Berkely. It was there that she met her lifelong partner William ‘Bill’
Crawford. Weecha graduated with a PhD. in Geology in 1965 at the age of 26
and immediately was offered a faculty position at her alma mater Bryn Mawr,
where she would go onto have a 40 plus year career.
Weecha published over 70 peer reviewed articles that focused on the
mineralogy and petrology of the Earth’s crust as it related to continental
crust formation and the evolution of our planet. Her main geographical
areas of focus were the Appalachian Piedmont province and the Coast Complex
of the North American Cordillera in Alaska and British Columbia. Though
geography didn’t limit Weecha’s scholarship as she also worked extensively
on lunar samples returned to Earth by the Apollo missions. In the later
stages of Weecha’s career she began to diversify her scholarship and was
integral in starting up one of the first large-scale and comprehensive
geologic database projects called GEON.
Weecha retired as a fulltime faculty member in 2006. Throughout her
career she received numerous accolades for her excellence in the field, in
the laboratory, and in the classroom. She was awarded the 1988 Outstanding
Educator Award from the Association for Women Geoscientists, and in 1993
she was awarded a MacArthur ‘Genius’ Fellowship for advancing the
understanding of the Earth’s resources through her study of metamorphic
petrology and geologic terranes. Weecha’s infectious energy, love for
geology, and incredibly sharp mind will be missed by many. I have set up a
memorial website for friends, colleagues, and past students to post
remembrances, stories, and photos to be shared with our broader community.
If there are folks that you think would appreciate this information, feel
free to share.
Memorial website: https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/JXKt3EGr
Memorial Service: Weecha's family has decided to have a funeral and
burial in the Spring of 2024. It will take place on Saturday, May 18 (time
TBD, but likely at 10:00 or 11:00 am)
Sincerely,
Arlo Weil
Dr. Arlo Brandon Weil
Marion Bridgman Slusser Professor in the Sciences
Department Chair
Department of Geology
Bryn Mawr College
101 North Merion Ave.
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
(610)526-5113
aweil@brynmawr.edu
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--
John H. Markle Professor Emeritus
Dept. of Geology & Environmental Geosciences
Lafayette College
Easton, PA 18042
USA
Hi all. I am sorry to hear about this. I met her back in Prince Rupert way back when when I was working with Linc Hollister and she made a big impression in me. A great talent. Kurt
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From: Harold Stowell via MSA-talk msa-talk@minlists.org
Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2023 7:20:02 AM
To: msa-talk@minlists.org msa-talk@minlists.org
Subject: [MSA-talk] Dr. Maria Luisa (Weecha) Crawford - Bryn Mawr College
I am deeply saddened to transmit the passing of Maria Luisa (Weecha) Crawford. I largely knew Weecha from a distance; however, I was fortunate enough to have spent time with her on field trips and to have conspired with her to write a summary paper on metamorphism in the Coast Mountains of BC and AK. Weecha was a leader in her field who played an important role in many students lives and careers. I miss her indomitable spirit.
Harold
Harold Stowell
Professor of Geology
Geological Sciences
The University of Alabama
201 7th Ave, Tuscaloosa AL
35487-0338
Forwarded from Dr. Arlo Brandon Weil, Marion Bridgman Slusser Professor in the Sciences, Department Chair, Department of Geology, Bryn Mawr College
Subject: Dr. Weecha Crawford - Bryn Mawr College Geology
Dear Friends of Weecha Crawfrod and alumni of the Bryn Mawr College Geology Department,
It is with great sadness that I report the passing of Dr Maria Luisa (Weecha) Crawford this past weekend. She died peacefully and with no complications following a short time in hospice care. Weecha was a guiding light for our department for generations and was certainly an inspiration and important mentor to me when I first arrived at Bryn Mawr in the fall of 2001. Though she retired relatively soon after I arrived, I was fortunate enough to get to know Weecha on both a professional and personal level, and I am all the better for it. Her dedication to high caliber scholarship, science outreach, and to the rigorous teaching of Earth materials was an inspiration to us all.
Weech was born July 18, 1939, in Beverly, Massachusetts, and 21 years later in 1960, received her Bachelor of Arts degree in geology from Bryn Mawr. After taking a year leave as a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Oslo in Norway, Weecha began graduate work at The University of California at Berkely. It was there that she met her lifelong partner William ‘Bill’ Crawford. Weecha graduated with a PhD. in Geology in 1965 at the age of 26 and immediately was offered a faculty position at her alma mater Bryn Mawr, where she would go onto have a 40 plus year career.
Weecha published over 70 peer reviewed articles that focused on the mineralogy and petrology of the Earth’s crust as it related to continental crust formation and the evolution of our planet. Her main geographical areas of focus were the Appalachian Piedmont province and the Coast Complex of the North American Cordillera in Alaska and British Columbia. Though geography didn’t limit Weecha’s scholarship as she also worked extensively on lunar samples returned to Earth by the Apollo missions. In the later stages of Weecha’s career she began to diversify her scholarship and was integral in starting up one of the first large-scale and comprehensive geologic database projects called GEON.
Weecha retired as a fulltime faculty member in 2006. Throughout her career she received numerous accolades for her excellence in the field, in the laboratory, and in the classroom. She was awarded the 1988 Outstanding Educator Award from the Association for Women Geoscientists, and in 1993 she was awarded a MacArthur ‘Genius’ Fellowship for advancing the understanding of the Earth’s resources through her study of metamorphic petrology and geologic terranes. Weecha’s infectious energy, love for geology, and incredibly sharp mind will be missed by many. I have set up a memorial website for friends, colleagues, and past students to post remembrances, stories, and photos to be shared with our broader community. If there are folks that you think would appreciate this information, feel free to share.
Memorial website: https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/JXKt3EGr
Memorial Service: Weecha's family has decided to have a funeral and burial in the Spring of 2024. It will take place on Saturday, May 18 (time TBD, but likely at 10:00 or 11:00 am)
Sincerely,
Arlo Weil
Dr. Arlo Brandon Weil
Marion Bridgman Slusser Professor in the Sciences
Department Chair
Department of Geology
Bryn Mawr College
101 North Merion Ave.
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
(610)526-5113
aweil@brynmawr.edu
Weecha Crawford Saved the Day!
It was the beginning of a NATO-sponsored field trip to the Alps on a warm day in August, 1974. An international crowd of geologists had assembled in the cafes of the Place Stanislas, a magnificent 18th-century plaza, in Nancy, France. We were awaiting entry to the Hotel de Ville where we were to be welcomed to the city by the Mayor of Nancy. The non-French among us had managed to order cafe beverages with our high-school language skills but were nervously anticipating the profound embarrassment of inarticulately jumbling tenses, genders, conjugations, etc. in attempting to respond to an expected elegant welcoming speech. Who would save us from precipitating an international incident? Weecha stepped up and saved the day! She listened with respectful attention to the Mayor’s eloquent remarks and responded in beautifully flowing French. Such sang-froid, such je ne sais quoi! Weecha’s heroic efforts on that day set the stage for what was for many attendees a career-molding field trip to the magnificent metasomatic and metamorphic rocks of the Alps! Thank you Weecha!
Doug Rumble
drumble@carnegiescience.edu
Emeritus Petrologist and Geochemist
Geophysical Laboratory
Carnegie Institution of Washington
1001 West Coy Drive
Flagstaff, AZ 86005
I was at the NATO sponsored field trip in 1974. I remember Weecha's translation of the welcoming speech by the Mayor of Nancy. It was not a simple translation. It had the elegance and flair that was characteristic of Weecha. Weecha's and my 40 some years of collaboration was propelled by the NATO field trip, which introduced the study of fluid inclusions to non-French metamorphic petrologists of North America.
Thank you, Doug, for this memory.
lincoln
From: Doug Rumble via MSA-talk msa-talk@minlists.org
Sent: Sunday, November 19, 2023 2:06 PM
To: Harold Stowell hstowell@ua.edu
Cc: msa-talk@minlists.org msa-talk@minlists.org
Subject: [MSA-talk] Weecha Crawford saved the day!
Weecha Crawford Saved the Day!
It was the beginning of a NATO-sponsored field trip to the Alps on a warm day in August, 1974. An international crowd of geologists had assembled in the cafes of the Place Stanislas, a magnificent 18th-century plaza, in Nancy, France. We were awaiting entry to the Hotel de Ville where we were to be welcomed to the city by the Mayor of Nancy. The non-French among us had managed to order cafe beverages with our high-school language skills but were nervously anticipating the profound embarrassment of inarticulately jumbling tenses, genders, conjugations, etc. in attempting to respond to an expected elegant welcoming speech. Who would save us from precipitating an international incident? Weecha stepped up and saved the day! She listened with respectful attention to the Mayor’s eloquent remarks and responded in beautifully flowing French. Such sang-froid, such je ne sais quoi! Weecha’s heroic efforts on that day set the stage for what was for many attendees a career-molding field trip to the magnificent metasomatic and metamorphic rocks of the Alps! Thank you Weecha!
Doug Rumble
drumble@carnegiescience.edu
Emeritus Petrologist and Geochemist
Geophysical Laboratory
Carnegie Institution of Washington
1001 West Coy Drive
Flagstaff, AZ 86005