People In Memory
erle kauffman
time Excellence in Systematic Paleontology from the Pa-
Dr. Erle Kauffman
leontological Research Institution. Additionally, Erle was
Born: February 9, 1933
recognized with The Society for Sedimentary Geology’s
Died: December 16, 2016
W.H. Twenhofel Medal for Outstanding Contributions and
Erle Galen Kauffman, 83,
Professor Emeritus, Earth
and Atmospheric Scienc-
es at Indiana University,
died peacefully at home
December 16, 2016 after a
long illness.

Honored for his many
contributions to the Geo-
logical and Paleontological sciences, Erle also was acknowl-
edged as a master teacher, researcher and mentor, advanc-
ing the education of many through his passion for learning,
rigorous science, and generosity of ideas. Erle held an aca-
demic position at IUB since 1996.

Born and raised in the Washington DC area, Erle received his
undergraduate and graduate education at the University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor, and was awarded a Doctorate in Geo-
logical Sciences in 1961. Subsequently, Erle built a 20 year
career with the US National Museum, Smithsonian Institu-
tion, where he ultimately held the position of Full Curator,
Department of Paleobiology. During that tenure, Erle also
served as Adjunct Professor of Geology, George Washing-
ton University, Washington DC. From 1980 to 1996, Erle was
Professor and later Chair (1980-1984), in the Department of
Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder.

Erle received many honors, both as scientist and educator.

He was recognized with an Honorary Master of Science
from Oxford University, England (1970), where he was a Vis-
iting Professor, and an Honorary Doctor of Natural Sciences
in 1987 from Georg-August-Universitat, GÖttingen, Germa-
ny, and in 1986 as a Fulbright Visiting Scholar to Australia.

In 1991 the Society for Sedimentary Geology awarded Erle
the R.C. Moore Medal for Excellence in Paleontology, and in
1997 he was honored with the Gilbert Harris Award for Life-
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Sustained Excellence in Sedimentary Geology in 1998,
and more recently with the Paleontological Society’s Med-
al for Advancement in Knowledge in Paleontology in 2014.

Erle was a Fellow of the Geological Society of America, the
Paleontological Society, and the American Association
for the Advancement of Science. He served in leadership
roles in many of the professional organizations of which he
was a member, notably as President of the Paleontological
Society, and Vice President of the International Paleonto-
logical Association.

Erle lived life fully and with great heart, exploring, adven-
turing, playing as hard as he worked. His love of the Rocky
Mountains drew him both professionally and personally.

Erle was an experienced hiker, backpacker, climber, skier
and an avid fly fisherman, and these adventures were an
integral part of the family life he shared with his beloved
wife and colleague Claudia Johnson, his former wife Caro-
lyn Kauffman, and their children Donald, Robin and Erica.

Erle was an accomplished banjo player, and was known,
particularly by his students, for gatherings famous for
good food, good wine, good music, good conversation and
camaraderie. Erle is survived by his wife of 27 years Claudia C. Johnson;
his three children: Donald (Kathleen) of Sydney, Australia,
Robin of Paonia, CO, and Erica (Jim) Lancaster of Atlanta,
GA; six grandchildren: Shelley, Christopher, Anna, Tucker,
Tate, and Reed; former wife Carolyn (Stinebower) Kauff-
man of Redstone, CO; and his sister Christina Kauffman
of Boulder, CO. Erle was preceded in death by his parents:
Erle B. Kauffman and Paula V. (Graff) Kauffman.

To honor Erle’s legacy, please consider donating to the
Erle G. Kauffman fund at the Paleontological Society, the
Erle Kauffman Paleobiology Fund at the Department of
Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Indiana University, or to
Indiana University Health Hospice.





He is survived by his children James T. Hayes of Honolu-
lu, Hawaii, Anne Hayes Hartman of Oakland, California,
and Rachel M. Hayes of Nashville, Tennessee, and by his
grandchildren Diego Enriquez, Johanna Hartman, Sar-
ah Hartman, and Rylan Hayes. His children and grand-
children were all with him on the day he died.

As a scientist, Hayes’ work on organic isotopes and re-
construction of ancient conditions provided evidence
of the development of the carbon cycle over geolog-
ic time, the timing of evolutionary events such as the
development of photosynthesis, and the development
of the global environment. He performed field work
around the globe, including on the R/V Atlantis and in
the submersible Alvin, and in Western Australia, South
Africa, and the Canadian Arctic. He was a member of
john hayes
the American Geophysical Union, the American Society
for Mass Spectrometry, and the European Association
Dr. John Michael Hayes
of Organic Geochemists. He authored two textbooks,
Born: September 6, 1940
four book chapters, and nearly 200 papers, and men-
Died: February 3, 2017
tored students and assisted colleagues in countless
John Michael Hayes passed away at his home in Berkeley,
ways. Hayes was elected a member of the Nation-
California, on February 3, 2017, of idiopathic pulmonary fi-
al Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the American
brosis. Hayes was a geochemist, receiving a B.S. from Iowa
Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1998, and a Foreign
State University in 1962 and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts
Member of the Royal Society in 2016. Hayes served as a
Institute of Technology in 1966. He was a professor at Indi-
Captain in the United States Army from 1967-1968, de-
ana University for 26 years and was named a Distinguished
tailed to the NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain
Professor. In 1996 he became director of the National Ocean
View, California.

Sciences Accelerator Mass Spectrometry facility at Woods
John and Janice Hayes were enthusiastic travelers
Hole Oceanographic Institution, and also served as a pro-
throughout their lives, always willing to detour for, or
fessor at Harvard University. He has lived in Berkeley since
plan a trip around, good restaurants and fine wine. He
2007. was an experienced photographer, a flutist and lover
Born in Seattle, Washington, John Hayes grew up in Mon-
of classical music, and a baker who made six loaves of
tana and Iowa, attending 13 schools before graduating from
bread nearly every weekend his children were grow-
high school in Perry, Iowa, as his family moved regularly for
ing up. In Berkeley, he was a member of the Epworth
his father’s job with the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and
United Methodist Church and the Berkeley Camera
Pacific Railroad. In 1962, he married Janice Maria (Boeke)
Club. He had an unpretentious approach to life in and
Hayes of Hubbard, Iowa, whom he met at Iowa State Univer-
out of the laboratory; “look for the good in people” was
sity. They celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary before
his bedrock philosophy. As he rejoins the carbon cycle,
her death in 2013.

he would like to remind us all to take action to combat
global climate change.

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