Dick passed away August 20, 2018 at age 88 at the Saline Evangelical Home. He was born in White Heath Illinois, and grew up in Piatt County, Illinois. He and his wife Lorraine were married in 1950, and they moved their family to Ann Arbor where Dick began his long and successful career teaching at the University of Michigan. In 1974 Dick and Lorrie purchased their beloved farm in Manchester Michigan. Dick received his Associate Degree from Blackburn College in 1948, his Bachelors of Biological Science from Illinois State Normal University in 1950, and his Masters of Science and a Ph.D of Entomology from Ohio State in 1951 and 1956 respectively. He was in the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky from 1951 to 1953. During his career at the U of M Dick held many positions including Director of the Museum of Zoology, Professor of Biology, the Donald W. Tinkle Collegiate Professor, the Theodore H. Hubbell Distinguished University Professor of Evolutionary Biology and Curator of Insects. He had over 40 graduate, masters, and post graduate students; and published over 140 scientific papers and books while with the U of M.
He did extensive field work in numerous places around the world, including a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship for 15 months of systematic work on crickets in Australia with Dan Otte in 1968. He received much recognition for his work in Entomology, Insect Behavior, Speciation, Animal Behavior, Human Behavior, Morality, Kinship Systems, Evolutionary Ecology, and Evolution. Some of his numerous honors, awards, and medals include a bronze medal from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for the outstanding paper presented at the annual meeting in 1961; the Daniel Giraud Elliott gold medal from the National Academy of Sciences in 1991; the inaugural Distinguished Scientific Career Contribution Award from the Human Behavior and Evolution Society in 2008; Distinguished Animal Behaviorist in 2002; along with membership in several Honor and Scientific Societies including the National Academy of Sciences; and distinguished and lectureships throughout the U.S. His teaching awards included the Amoco Good Teaching Award in1977; the Outstanding Educator Award in 1982; and Excellence in Education Award in 1995.
Dick had many varied talents and hobbies which he focused on full time after retirement. He was a talented artist in many medias: pen and ink drawings; oil paintings; wood carvings; and colored pencil drawings. He wrote and illustrated autobiographical stories, children's books, verse, cartoons, and horse training manuals, often with the help of Lynn Lesko. He was also a musician, and could play almost any instrument he chose to pick up. He continued studying all aspects of the horse business; horse social behavior; and horse-human interactions while managing, breeding, raising, and training Quarter Horses from his 2 herds, with the help of Megan Kanta Young. He farmed 80 acres with his neighbor and friend "old" Tom Pyle; collected and repaired antique toys: and created unique knives, fanciful wooden toy vehicles, and numerous other items. His favorite things to do were to be working on the farm, spending time with his grandchildren and extended family, and carving his canes - all of which gave him immense pleasure up until close to the end of his life.
Dick is survived by his loving wife of 68 years Lorraine Kearnes Alexander; his brother Noel (Donna); his daughters Susan (Sarita) and Nancy; his grandchildren Morgan Alexander Johnson, Lydia Lorraine Turner, Lincoln Alexander Turner, and Winona Johnson Alexander; and his great-grandson Ezekiel Alexander Johnson; and several nieces and nephews; and "young' Tom Pyle who lived with Lorrie and Dick for years while growing up. Dick was a loving husband, wonderful dad, and a perfect grandpa - who was loved dearly, and will be much missed by all of us. A private memorial service will be held at a yet to be determined date.
Keine Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen