Calvin John Heusser (1924-2006): A life devoted to the Quaternary of Patagonia.

Abstract

Professor Calvin J. Heusser, Cal for all his friends, was born in North Bergen, New Jersey, USA, on September 10, 1924. He obtained his Bachelor of Science (1947) and Master of Science (1949) degrees in botany at Rutgers University, and later, his PhD degrees both in botany and in geology at Oregon State College (1952). While he was a university student he was drafted and he fought in World War II, in the European theater as a rifleman, 137th Infantry, 35th Division, where he took part in the Battle of the Ardennes, where he was wounded in one of his legs, receiving the Combat Infantry Badge, and the Battle Star and the Purple Heart medals. Cal was very proud of his participation in that battle, though he was not usually willing to talk about his European memories, certainly due to the sadness of the long war. His teaching and research career is outstanding, starting as a teaching fellow at Rutgers University (1947–1949) and continuing as a research fellow at Oregon State College (1949–1952). After completing his education, Cal joined the American Geographical Society as a research associate, from 1952 to 1967, and as such, Cal was on his first scientific expedition to South America and Patagonia in 1959