GEORGE DESBOROUGH

DESBOROUGH, GEORGE A, PnD George Desborough, Scientist Emeritus with the Mineral Resources Team of the US Geological Survey in Denver, died August 27, 2010 at St Anthony Central Hospital in Denver, Colorado after a long battle with pulmonary disease. He was 73. He was born in Panama, Illinois on January 15, 1937. He attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois where he earned both a BA and MA in Geology. He earned a PhD at the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1966 in Geology/Geophysics/Mining and Metallurgical Engineering. His love of the outdoors and nature was primary throughout his life, and led him to employment as a Geologist at the US Geological Survey. He was employed in Washington, DC for a year and then elected to move to Denver in 1967 to pursue his interests in minerals and their origins. Throughout his long career with the USGS, he worked on, among other things, "moon rocks", "forensic" activities for other Federal agencies, the origin of various minerals, and internationally with NATO among other organizations. He was nominated to the National Mining Hall of Fame for work on placer gold deposits in the Snake River Plain in Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon. He studied placer gold deposits in the Colorado Mineral Belt, and worked with the Shoshone-Bannock and Ogallala Sioux Tribes to improve their economic status. In later years, he concentrated on environmental issues by applying his knowledge to the source and clean-up of acid-water runoff from historical mining sites. Consistent with his love of the outdoors, he loved to camp, fish and hunt, and in later years took unstructured car trips to explore the West and out-of-the-way natural places. Even on vacation, his first love was Geology, and he was constantly analyzing rocks and geologic formations in the places he visited. He spent his life doing the work he loved. George will be remembered as a kind and generous person with an outstanding scientific mind. He was always available to advise and help colleagues with questions and to help identify obscure minerals in their research projects. Many people loved and respected him. We will all miss him. He met Nancy L Couse at the University of Wisconsin while both were working on their PhD degrees, and they were married on August 20, 1966 in Rochester, NY. He is survived by his wife and his sisters, Beulah Yochelson and Laurella Desborough, both of Florida; nephews Clifford Sherlock (CA), George Desborough (MN), and Matthew Brinson (FL); nieces Leah Hall (NC), Alesa Wilson (FL), Anitra Peterson (NC). A gathering to celebrate his life will be held on Saturday, January 15, 2011 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Rolling Hills Country Club, 15707 W 26th Ave, Golden, CO. There will be a buffet lunch with cash bar. In lieu of flowers, please bring or send a story about George to be added to his memory book and/or read at the celebration.