Thor Nels Vincent Karlstrom

Dr. Thor N. V. KarlstRom

Thor Nels Vincent Karlstrom, 94, died in Grand Junction, Colorado September 25, 2014. Born in Seattle, he was the fourth of six children of Rev. Otto and Alva Karlstrom. He is survived by his former wife Florence; brothers Leroy and Ernest; children Eric, Karl, Karen, and Rolf; grandchildren Leif, Sigrid, David, Lisa, Scott, Hattie; great grandchildren Ian, Analiese, Azarelle, Micah, and Jonas.

Dr. Karlstrom's education included West Seattle High School, B.S. in Geology at Augustana College, and a Ph.D at the University of Chicago. In 1949 he joined the U.S. Geological Survey's Alaska Section, and the family moved to Arlington, Virginia. Karlstrom mapped geological deposits and developed a history for the Cook Inlet region of Alaska. His 1961 paper laid out his astro-climatic hypothesis, that climate cycles coincide with periodic Sun/Moon/Earth orbital variations.

From 1965 to 1984, Karlstrom worked at the Survey's Astrogeology Branch in Flagstaff, Arizona. As Mission Planner, he provided data packages and training for Astronauts on the Apollo Moon Missions 11-13. Later he did interdisciplinary research, the group finding that the migrations of prehistoric Colorado Plateau people were primarily induced by climate changes. The chronology of drought cycles correlated well with Karlstrom's records of sea levels in Alaska, suggesting global trends.

After retiring, Thor returned to Fauntleroy in West Seattle to reside by the beach where he grew up. He remarried and is survived by his former wife Carol. There were many gatherings with friends and family. Later Thor lived in LaConnor, Washington with his brother Leroy, sister-in-law Esther, and nephew David. During this last year he connected deeply with his children and grandchildren. A family memorial was held in Grand Junction, and there will be a family celebration at a later date in the Pacific Northwest.