William Richard Dickinson (1931-2015) A Personal Farewell

Abstract

Introduction With the passing of Bill Dickinson in mid-July, the geologic community of New Mexico, and everywhere else, lost an enduring colleague and friend. By a remarkable combination of intellect, self-confidence, engaging humility, and prodigious output of published work, he influenced and challenged (to date) three generations of geoscientists and other researchers—sedimentary geologists, igneous petrologists, tectonicists, sandstone petrologists, archeologists and university students, to list a few categories—around the globe. Bill looms large on the geologic landscape of western North America and surely the Big Book on Cordilleran Tectonics contains a longish chapter entitled “The Life and Times of Bill Dickinson.” To summarize that chapter in a few pages might be considered foolish; if so, consider the following a momentary lapse of reason.