I started collecting rocks and minerals when I was six years old. My parents happened to buy a home near a creek that was loaded with all sorts of treasures (at least they were for a young novice collector). Some of the things that I found there were quartz crystals, agate, crinoid fossils, colonial coral, and even a few arrowheads. We took some of these finds to a rock shop in Saint Louis, Missouri that was run by Howard York, a man who I’ll be ever grateful to. He took the time to teach me a bit about minerals and fossils, and encouraged me to join a rock club. Well, that was it, I was hooked!

Fast forward over 60 years to the present… After earning my degree in geology then working for 30 plus years, I’m retired now. My collection includes some minerals that I self-collected underground in the Tri-State District, Pea Ridge Mine, most of the Viburnum Trend mines, Elmwood Mine, numerous surface deposits, quarries and road cuts. Field collecting is still a love of mine, even though the places that grant permission to collect are ever dwindling. My favorite local mineral museum is at the Missouri Mines State Historic Site.