GSOC Past Presidents 1985-1989

1985

Donald. B. Parks

•Born Portland, Oregon, December 28, 1912
•Father: Rupert Norris Parks, Born county of Kent, England
•Mother: Newell Oakes Parks, Born Salt Lake City, Utah

After Graduating from Rose City Park Grade School and Grant High school in Portland, I entered the School of architecture and Allied Arts at the University of Oregon. In pursuing my Bachelor of science degree, on of my elective courses was an Introduction to Geology, and one of my instructors was Lloyd Ruff who served as GSOC's 9th president in 1043.

Phi Kappa Psi fraternity became my Greek connection while attending the University. Eugene was becoming my permanent residence after graduating in 1939. Part-time work in an architectural office and part time in the school of architecture continued until 1941.

At that time I returned to Portland after accepting an engineering position with Albina Engine and Machine works, a Portland shipyard building navy ships. It there that I met Enid, who was employed as a secretary. We were married in June of 1943 and became firmly settled in Portland.

I was granted a certificate to practice architecture in 1951 and shortly thereafter established my own architectural office.  My works included the design of schools, churches, a number of residences and a variety of structures for Pacific Northwest Bell.

In 1971 I accepted a position as architect with Pacific Power and Light Company, and retired in 1978.  While there, I was invited by my longtime friend John Bonebrake to give a luncheon program of slides I had taken on a visit to Southern Spain. Following that introduction to GSOC, I joined the Society in 1973, and to my surprise, in 1985, became its 51st president.

1986

HAZEL R.  NEWHOUSE

Native Oregonian,  Born at Springbrook (now part of Newberg),  Oregon, May 19, 1906.   

 This small village was the heart of a thriving berry and fruit area. Her father C. E. Newhouse organized and managed a cooperative cannery. Her mother, Hattie Rush, taught in her native state of Minnesota where she met and married Clint Newhouse when he came from Wisconsin to take up a land claim. They moved to Oregon in the late 1800's.

Elementary education was in a two-room school.  She graduated from the Quaker Prep school in Newberg which Herbert Hoover once attended.  B.A. fromWillamette University in 1927.  (Major - History,  Minor- Mathematics).  She took her first geology course there in 1925.

Travel and camping began early. Twice before 1914 she traveled with a community covered-wagon train over the Coast Mountains to a beach camp north of Cape Kiwanda. Several camping trips were made in the Columbia Gorge.

Campfire and 4-H activities were early interests and she was a leader at Camp Namanu (east of Gresham) and Camp Sealth on Vashon Island.  At the latter she made a friend who asked her to accompany her to Japan. (In 1930 the ticket cost $100.21)  A college friend in Peking, China, requested her to fill in for a teacher on leave. 1930-33 she was a leader of a Girl Scout troop sponsored by Mrs. Herbert Hoover and for which Pearl Buck was a director.  (Lots of camping in geological settings.)

Taught mathematics and Latin in Chehalis, Washington before going to China, English in Wei Wen Academy (Chinese boy's Middle School), mathematics in Peking American School and Latin for English majors in the Peking Women's University. At least half of the American school students were Chinese preparing to attend American Colleges.

Returning to Oregon in 1933 (depression years) her Oregon teacher's certificate had to be renewed and a year of (so-called) education courses required. Travel was achieved by taking summer courses up and down the Pacific Coast:  Oregon Agricultural College (OSU), University of Washington, University of California, University of Southern California, and University of Oregon. Having had little knowledge of the Orient when she went there - courses in geography and geology were sandwiched in when possible.

1935-41 - taught geography (also mathematics, history and Latin - not all the same year) at St. Helens, Oregon.

Mount St. Helens played an interesting part in her life. At Chehalis the hotel was The St. Helens and most of the field trips and picnics were to Mount St.  Helens. At St. Helens, Oregon, the mountain was viewed across the Columbia River. Then for the over 30 years she taught at Gresham, Oregon, Mount St. Helens was on view driving to and from her home at 4709 N. Willamette Blvd. She always told her students that many of the Cascade volcanoes were not dead but, like many others, never dreamed one would erupt in her lifetime - but Mount St. Helens did May 18, 1980.

During W, W. II she taught geography for the A. S. T. P. at the University of Oregon.  During that time she completed work for her M. A.  She was then offered a position as graduate assistant in the Geography Department while working on Ph. D, but was told that no woman would be offered a position as professor in that field at the University and, as at that time, no other Oregon college taught geography and as she wanted to stay in Oregon, she went back to full time high school teaching and taught college courses in geography at summer school and in evening classes at Monmouth (now Western Oregon College),  U. of O. Extension (Portland), Lewis and Clark, Concordia,  U. of O. (Eugene),  Mt. Angel,  P.S.U., and for the Oregon System of Higher Education (mostly at P. S. U.  and Gresham).

Physical geography was always a basic interest. Ruth Keen, whom she met at the University of Oregon often invited her to GSOC lectures, banquets, Camp-outs and to give slide lectures. Joined GSOC in 1972.

From 1952 - attended IGU (International Geography/Geology Union) meetings where field trips were led by geography and geology professors. These meetings, held every four years,  were at Washington,  D. C.,  London,  Stockholm,  Montreal, Moscow and New Delhi.  For New Delhi and Moscow,  she went around the world.  Slide lectures, about places visited, have been given at GSOC meetings and for many other organizations and for schools and colleges.

1959-60 - Fulbright exchange to Wallasey (near Liverpool) Girls Grammar School.

1975-78 - Vice president and president of East Multnomah County Retired Teachers. Also led their tours (over 100 - mainly to places where she had led college and high school geography field trips) and served on the board since 1972.

Fellow - National Council for Geographic Education.

Board - 1. English Speaking Union 2. U.S. China Peoples Friendship Association 3. American University Women 4. Overseas Educators 5. Pacific Coast Geographers 6. Oregon Geographers.

Member -  Oregon Historical Society, University Park Methodist Church, State and National Retired Educators.

1937 - her brother moved to Wedderburn (near Gold Beach).  First drove through this area in 1933 when Highway 101 was largely two planks with turn outs and all rivers were crossed by ferry except the Rogue which had been bridged.  These facts plus studying the Tyee formation which has spectacular outcrops in Ruth Keen's seminar influenced the choice of southwestern Oregon for the 1986 President's Geological Tour/Campout.

1985-87 - Real challenge - serving as vice president and president of the Geological Society of the Oregon Country.  The help and support of the past presidents made the years rewarding.

1987

RAYMOND E. (Andy) CORCORAN

I was born in Norfolk, Virginia, where my father was stationed at the Norfolk Naval Base.  It was also where my mother grew up and eventually met my father, so it worked out well for everyone.

In 1931 my father was transferred to the Pacific Fleet (U.S.S. Saratoga) based in Long Beach, California, and I continued to live there until I graduated from college, (U.C.L.A.).

My first job was with Union Oil Co. in their Rocky Mountain Division.  It was very good experience for me because most of California (like Oregon) is Cenozoic geology, whereas most of the Rocky Mountains are underlain by Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks.  In 1951, Union Oil transferred me to their West Texas Division, and after spending six months down there I decided that I wanted to return to the West Coast, I enrolled in graduate school at the Univ. of Oregon , and received my M.S. in geology in 1953.  While in Eugene I had applied to the Oregon Dept. of Geology when Mr. Fay Libbey was Director, and was subsequently offered a job with them when I graduated.

After working for the Department for four years I was offered a position with Harvey Aluminum Co. to direct their bauxite (aluminum ore) exploration program.  Since this would allow me to work in areas of the world I would not otherwise have an opportunity to see, I accepted it.  During the next three and a half years I explored bauxite deposits in Hawaii, Jamaica, and South America (Surinam and British Guiana), as well as here in Oregon and Washington.  It was great fun, but hard on my family life, so I returned to the Department in 1960.  I remained with DOGAMI until 1977, becoming Director and State Geologist in 1969 when Hollis Dole, my predecessor, became Asst. Secretary of the Interior for Minerals.

Seeking new challenges, I accepted a job with the U. S. Bureau of Mines in Washington, D.C. as administrative assistant to the Director overseeing environmental impact of Bureau related mining and metallurgical research.  Three and a half years later, I had had enough of Federal bureaucracy and decided to return to Oregon and go into private consul­ting.  Since 1980 I have been enjoying my "new life" immensely, not the least of which has been to be elected President of the Geological Society of the Oregon Country.

My wife, Jean, and I will be celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary this year.  We have three children, Mike, Rick, and Debbie, all of whom we are inordinately proud.

1988

JOLINE ALTA ROBUSTELLI

Joline, a native Oregonian, was born May 16, 1939, in Klamath Falls. She attended Altamont Elementary and Junior High School, and graduated from Klamath Union High School in 1957. She played clarinet in the KUHS band. Rainbow for Girls provided an additional interest during her teen years.

She accepted employment in June, 1957, with the Klamath County Public Welfare Commission. For nine years, she was the Commission secretary, taking minutes at the monthly Commission meetings, transcribing dictation, certifying applicants for food stamps, and other routine clerical work.

Klamath Falls was a small community and employment opportunities were limited. While working full time, she took evening continuing education classes at Kingsley Field and at Oregon Institute of Technology. She moved to Portland in September, 1966, to enroll full time at Portland State University. She received a BS in History from PSU in June, 1969.

She accepted a secretarial position in July, 1969, with Unigard Insurance Group. In March, 1970, she became a casualty-property claims adjuster. Assisting people during time of loss and extreme stress due to accident and injury was overwhelming, so she left Unigard in September, 1980.

Joline worked for temporary agencies for several months. In February, 1981, she was referred to Portland Development Commission. Following 4 1/2 years as a temporary employee, doing microfilming, she became a permanent employee in July, 1985. She was transferred to the new Computer Services/Records Management Department in January, 1988.

Joline has taken numerous business and professional courses and classes. The general property and casualty classes with Insurance Institute of America, followed by Law for the Claimsperson, lead to professional designations. In 1984, she received a Certified Professional Insurance Woman award, followed by Casualty Claim Law Associate and Casualty-Property Claim Law Associate designation.

She has been active in service organizations, including the American Council of Venture Clubs, affiliated with Soroptimist International, where she served as secretary to the Klamath Falls club from 1960-1962. This was followed by regional secretary, 1962-1964, and regional governor, 1964-1966. During this time three new Canadian Venture Clubs were chartered.

She was affiliated with the Oregon Casualty Adjusters Association from 1970-1980, and Insurance Women's Association of Portland from 1970-1977.

Other organizations include YWCA Tour Committee from 1977 to the present, planning and escorting tours; member Oregon Historical Society, 1980 to the present; World Affairs Council of Oregon, 1986 to the present; American Records Management Association, 1988; and Audubon Society, 1989.

Joline joined GSOC in September, 1980.  She served on the hospitality committee, 1982-1983; treasurer, 1983-1985; assistant newsletter editor, 1985-1988; vice president and program chair, 1987-1988; and president, 1988-1989. In addition, she has presented several slide programs.

Joline has many outside interests and hobbies. She likes traveling, outdoor activities and hiking. Knitting, sewing, and needle work comprise additional interests.

1989

ROSEMARY RICHARTZKENNEY

Rosemary Richartz was born and reared on a dairy farm near Walla Walla, Washington. After the family moved to Umapine, Oregon, she attended the Umapine Public Schools, graduating as valedictorian from Umapine High School.

After graduation from Oregon State University and dietetic internship at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, she combined her professional career and her love of travel. Home base was always Portland, Oregon. No matter whereshe traveled, she always returned to Portland where she worked as a dietitian at various times, at St. Vincents Hospital, Beth Kaiser Hospital, University of Oregon Health Science Center, University of Oregon Dental School, Emanuel Hospital, and at the U.S. Veterans Medical Center both in Portland and at the Vancouver Division.

Enjoyable work was found in Casablanca, Morocco; Denver, Colorado; Walla Walla, Washington; Los Angeles, California; and Corvallis, Oregon. The high points of Rosemary's career were working for the Indian Health Service Hospital at Fort Defiance, Arizona on the Navajo Indian Reservation, and at Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia. On one of her return trips to Portland, she married Albert Kenney, former president of GSOC.  They combined their interests of geology, paleontology and travel.

She always had an interest in geology, but it began in earnest when she attended a night course at Portland State University taught by Dr. Ruth Hopson Keen. That sparked motivation to attend more and more classes. She joined GSOC in 1962 and has served the society on the Refreshment Committee and held offices of Librarian and Secretary, in addition to President.

Our fifty-fifth President took an early retirement in 1989 to enjoy life without the interference of work.