Jerry Webers (1932-2008) was one of the founding members of
Macalester's Geology department, having been hired by Henry Lepp in
1965. Jerry was born in Racine, WI, the youngest of five children, and
the son of a barber who enjoyed fishing and occasional fossil hunting.
Jerry was educated in a one-man geology department at Lawrence College,
served in the Army for 2 years in Japan, then enrolled at the University
of Minnesota. He worked with Bob Sloan on invertebrate paleontology,
specializing in Cambro-Ordovician conodonts and the evolution of
molluscs; part of his field work involved 4 seasons in Antarctica
including the Ellsworth Mountains. Jerry discovered a middle Cambrian
coquina that contains 70 species and all the beginings of molluscan
evolution (monoplacophora, cephalopoda, etc.). There are three peaks
near this fossil locale that are named in Jerry's honor: "The Webers
Peaks". The department dedicated the "Webers Rock Garden" outside
Olin-Rice Hall in his honor. Jerry served the College for 35 years in
the classroom, field, laboratory, as department Chair (17 years!) and on
numerous campus committees. He is survived by wife Kay, daughter Julie
and two grandsons, Paul and Max.
