I first encountered Weecha in the late 1980’s when she and Bill took sabbatical leave at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I was a PhD student. Over the years our paths crossed occasionally, to my good fortune. She was a remarkable woman, knowledgeable, interesting, considerate, sensible, and good company. She was an inspiration. My condolences to all who will miss her, as I will. Julie Vry Victoria University of Wellington New Zealand From: Harold Stowell via MSA-talk <msa-talk@minlists.org> Reply to: Harold Stowell <hstowell@ua.edu> Date: Friday, 17 November 2023 at 8:02 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