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GeneralA fifty year history of the Tucson show.

3rd Apr 2008 20:02 UTCGail Spann Manager

Go grab your 50 year history book and let's talk about some of the fun people and stuff in there. I have been slowly meeting a number of the people in the book and wonder at some that I never hear about.

Does anyone know if some of the names below are still active or around at shows anymore?


1980's list ( 1980-1989 ) .. It wasn't that long ago, but I don't recognize many of the names. Does anyone know if these folks are still active and what stories are there that earned them a spot in this special issue? I would love to know more about them. Let's keep the unkind comments off of here, just in case someone has a beef with anyone.


Ken and Betty Roberts

Julian Blakely

Paul and Hilda Seel

Charles and Marcelle Weber

Carolyn Wilson

Harvey Gordon

Tony Potucek

Bruce Runner

Mark Feinglos

Kery and Edy Siber

Kay Robertson

Hilde and Milt Sclar

Barbara and Forrest Cureton

Rosemary Saunders

Gus Meister

Bill Henderson

Stan Lesnick

Cyril Kovac

Bill Schneider

David New

Art Roe

John Parnau

William Metropolis

Benny and Elva Fenn

Michel Jouty

Adrianna and Renato Pagano

David Shannon

Alfredo Ferri

John Shannon

Alain Carion

Chuck Turley

Pete Olson

Tony Otero

Wendy Melanson

Chris Pfaff

Sandy Ludlum

Dwight Weber

Sharon Cisneros

Rustam Kothavala

Peter Keller

Paul Clifford

Alvao Lucio

3rd Apr 2008 20:48 UTCDavid Von Bargen Manager

Kay Robertson - see profile in March/April 2007 Min Rec

Sharon Cisneros - Mineralogical Research Co. - mindat advertiser

David Shannon - deceased, Arizona mineral dealer

Barbara and Forrest Cureton - rare mineral dealers - sold out to excalibur minerals

William Metropolis - recently left Harvard Museum as curator.

Alain Carion - French mineral dealer

Harvey Gordon - Nevada mineral dealer - Zapot pegmatite


Art Roe see: http://www.minsocam.org/msa/AmMin/toc/Articles_Free/1995/Kampf_p179-183_95.pdf


Frank & Wendy Melanson recently sold Hawthorneden.

Charles and Marcelle Weber - Mt Ste Hilaire micromounters are both deceased.

3rd Apr 2008 20:49 UTCJesse Fisher Expert

A lot of them are still around, some, however, are not. Betty Roberts passed away a number of years ago. Ken is now married to Rosemany Saunders. Michel Jouty and Alain Carrion both recently passed away. Rusty Kothavala, once a top importer of Indian zeolites is now out of the business. Sharon Cisneros is still in business (Mineralogical Research Company) but has had some bad health and doesnt get around as much.

3rd Apr 2008 22:37 UTCGail Spann Manager

Thanks Jesse. I have spent a lot of time going through this publication and often wondered why I didn't hear their names, or stories regarding their adventures. I think that the people make the business and wanted to learn more about their contributions back in the 80's.

Just sentimental and curious.

3rd Apr 2008 23:33 UTCJustin Zzyzx Expert

Gail,


Benny and Elva Fenn live in Los Crucas NM. They are the best, at just about every Marty show, major importers of Mexican minerals and Benny is the one who made the big score of mind blowing Mimetites from Mexico in the 60's. Benny now imports most all of the Rasberry Garnets, Smithsonite and gem grade yellow labradorite you see.


Sharon Cisneros and her husband Gene live in the San Francisco area and they are people after my own heart, selling radioactives and asbestos. =) They focus on a more scientific approch to mineral sales and I LOVE that. Plus, Sharon's mineral display cases are TOO GOOD. She has suites of minerals from all kinds of crazy regions of the world in her collection.


You didn't meet Harvey Gordon at the Westward Look show? He was one of the dealers. Him and Lithosphere teamed up and they were going to be at the Dallas show, but they dropped out.


Kay Robinson is awesome. She would always come to the Culver City show and browse around. I would end up talking to her for at least an hour, but that's pretty much how it goes with her. Don't get me wrong, I could chat with her for HOURS. She is a treasure chest of knowlege.


You might have meet Adrianna and Renato Pagano at the main show at least. They are the italian couple who helps at the ROCKS AND MINERALS! booth, and they are the Italian wing of the Mineralogical Record. Gems.


I never meet Tony Ortaro, but I always wanted to. He was the guy in charge of the Kelly mine. Smithsonite, woohoo. He passed away a short while ago.


Gus Meister was a major member of the M.S.S.C. and ran the Pasadena show for several years. I've talked to him several times, but he is old enough now to deserve not to hear from the likes of me. His daughter is/was? also very active in the M.S.S.C. I don't know now, cause I haven't seen a MSSC bulletin in over a year.


Go to the Mineralogical Record's website and they have the coolest biography section ever.

4th Apr 2008 00:17 UTCJoseph Freilich

Hi Gail...here is a few...regards, Joe



Hilde and Milt Sclar : Firm of Oceanside Imports, active in the 60's

William Metropolis : Curator, American Museum Of nat History, NY.

Michel Jouty: French Mineral Dealer

Adrianna and Renato Pagano : The famous and immortal Italian dealer

David Shannon...R.I.P.... Dealer, died too young

Wendy Melanson: Frank Melanson, Hawthorneden Minerals, Wife

Rustam Kothavala : Most famous Indian Mineralogist, brought out the deep green apop's in the 80"s

Peter Keller: Director at G.I.A.

4th Apr 2008 00:19 UTCJoseph Freilich

William Metropolis : Curator, American Museum Of nat History, NY.


sorry, an error....left Harvard, now at Stacks In New York City....Joe

4th Apr 2008 02:02 UTCMalcolm Southwood 🌟 Expert

Gail,

Cyril Kovac is still an active mineral dealer based here in Melbourne, Australia. As a matter of fact I spent a very pleasant morning yesterday with Cyril going through some of his mineral stock. I think its a few years since he's been to Tucson, but he's a great bloke, an honest dealer, and a good friend.

4th Apr 2008 03:12 UTCGail Spann Manager

Thanks everyone, so far this has been quite enlightening.

Malcolm, you will have to tell Cyril that you expect his ears were burning?

Glad to hear he is doing well and has friends like you to keep his good name going!

4th Apr 2008 08:21 UTCRay Hill Expert

Cyris is first rate in my books, since he couldn't be in town when I was, he put me onto 3 collectors to catch up with, including Malcolm. Now that is a fine fellow, as there was no profit in it for him, but he still helped out...

4th Apr 2008 16:11 UTCGail Spann Manager

I like to see how people "touch" other people's lives. I have had a number of private emails telling me how so and so mentored them, etc. People in the 50 year book influenced so many, including us just by the stories we have read, the cabinets of minerals displayed and the camaraderie they shared. It inspired us to enter our first case of minerals in Tucson.

Looking through the many photos I have seen Evan Jones grow up ( If one ever considers Evan to BE a grownup! ha ha! )

I have seen the evolution of the shows, the growth as well as the end of the Desert Inn. ( I have heard amazing stories, both good and bad, about that hotel! )

I am so glad that the MinRec decided to compile all that info and offer it to us all. Many people paved the way for the great success we see at the shows now.

I know many of you have been around for a long time, I love to hear your stories of racous behavior, silly jokes and amusing tattle telling. This is a hobby/industry like no other!

4th Apr 2008 18:28 UTCDonald Peck

Gail, Paul Seel is deceased. I am not sure about Hilda, but I think that she is gone also.

4th Apr 2008 19:47 UTCGail Spann Manager

Oh, how sad Donald. They looked like such an interesting couple and I wondered what their story was. I figured a number of the people in the book are gone, but am hoping to hear some of their history and contributions.

Thanks for letting me know.

31st May 2008 20:36 UTCDona Leicht

Hi Gail...


I stumbled upon this thread today - I can tell you about everyone on the list since I keep in touch with most of them (except those deceased, but some would say I talk to the dead most of the time). When I see you I'll bring you up to date on all of them. Springfield perhaps?

31st May 2008 21:07 UTCEd Godsey

Gail, many if not most of them are probably included in the biographies section on the MR website, but I note that Harvey Gordon, for one is not listed.

31st May 2008 23:17 UTCMichael D. Cline Expert

Jesse--


Alain Carion passed away recently? I had done much business with him during the Tucson show this year, and exchanged emails for several weeks afterwards. Do you have any more information? I searched the web and could find no information on his death. Thanks!

31st May 2008 23:23 UTCIan Merkel

Hey Justin,


Tony Otero was a super man. I only met him once, in 2001. I collected at the Nitt Mine dumps (I believe that was the name) that he was tending. I paid $5 and he guaranteed me minerals or I could select a $5 rock form his little shop. When I returned from the dumps (accessed with a 1984 Volvo wagon, which he laughed when he saw because of the bad ass road) with nice specimens of smithsonite, he still insisted I take a $5 specimen from him. We talked for an hour or so about the old days of collecting and he let me see some of his absolutely wonderful smithsonite cabinet specimens. I have thought about him many times since that day.


Cheers.

Ian

31st May 2008 23:54 UTCAlfredo Petrov Manager

Michael, I saw Alain Carion, looking cheerful and healthy, at the Osaka show less than 4 weeks ago! Perhaps, as Mark Twain said, news of his death has been greatly exaggerated.

Cheers,

Alfredo

1st Jun 2008 00:22 UTCMaurizio Dini Expert

Hi Miss Gail:


in your VIP list, there is an american collector, which I know as a reliable email pal friend; as I know is an eminence in his medicine speciality; his name is Mark Feingloss, endocrinologist, and prominent collector.


Perhaps some of your contacts (I guess miss Dona Leicht) may give you his coordinates.


....And of course, (but it's not a matter of patriotism), I will sponsor Adriana & Renato Pagano; they are not just dealers....They are fantastic and lovely people to meet and speak; Renato has plenty stories to tell....by the way, if you meet tem, give my friendly and brotherhood greetings.


Maurizio Dini

an italian living in Chile

1st Jun 2008 07:08 UTCGail Spann Manager

Dona, will see you in Springfield.

Maurizio, nice to hear such lovely things about mineral people...how is it, by the way, being an Italian living in Chile????

1st Jun 2008 15:43 UTCMaurizio Dini Expert

Miss Gails:


thanks for your message and kind coments; I can read that you are an active mindat amateur and positive person! My compliments!


Going to your point, I am 100% italian (born in Rome); I have traveled a lot in my life, inspite my age (39)!


I have actually found my love here and my 5 old year son borned in Chile; he is is truly amazing and incredible. I am speaking him italian since he has 2 days..., maybe there will be a chance to go back to Italy in a few years.


However, I am greatfull to this country...I have learned a lot on chilean minerals, and I had the chance to meet virtually great friends in this comunity....


I will be eternally linked with this fascinating country (not only Chile, I rather say South America has something magic....it's like when you go to Africa, there is an African homesick....and of course, there is a Latinamerican homesick!!).


take care

Maurizio D.

1st Jun 2008 16:13 UTCGail Spann Manager

Maurizio,

I am so happy you have a wonderful son and woman in your life. And it is nice to hear that you really enjoy living in Chile. Too many spend time talking about how great it is in the "old" country and never really respect the way of life, people and charm of the "adopted" country.

Good for you!


For me it is the Greek Islands, I spent time going from island to island and they each had their own charm. I feel the need to go and explore some more, with my husband alongside. He has never been as I went before meeting him.


I was born in England, London area...moved to Canada while young and settled in the States. I love living here and I can still love the other places I have lived as they all contributed to making my life adventurous. My parents have an adventurous spirit and they instilled that in me early on.


Combine that with a collector mentality and you will find Mindat full of the same type of people. Live life to the fullest!

Warm regards, Gail

1st Jun 2008 19:14 UTCJesse Fisher Expert

Alfredo,


Someone recently told me that he had passed away rather suddenly. If I am mistakenly passing on false rumor and inuendo, my apologies.


Jesse

1st Jun 2008 22:15 UTCMaurizio Dini Expert

Hello again Miss Gail:


first of all apologize to other fellows if I am running a bit sentimental talking about autobiography issues; but it's so stimulating when someone such as Gail, hits the vibrations and emotions of our lives!


Gail, I have been twice in Greece, and as I could realize, mitology, simple way of living is garantee! I havent't get the chance to visit Santorini, the Thera underwater crater is one of the 7 wondereres of the world!


Back to the core of the thread, wouldn't it be great to edit a book based exclusively on some of the amazing personal stories related to minerals, mine adventure, that you may get from eache one of those who are still on spot??


Or maybe I am just late...., there are also books on this topic!


Gail (and fellows out there), feel free contact me on by email:

maurj68@hotmail.com


bye

Maurizio D.

9th Jun 2008 17:06 UTCBonni Thoresen

Regarding Bill Schneider, my husband saw him (and maybe wife Nancy) a month ago at the San Diego Anglers club. They are very nice folks. A link to his interesting biography for MR (can be cut and pasted if needed) is: http://www.minrec.org/labels.asp?colid=851


His son Tom is in business downtown in San Diego selling cut gems and gemmy rough. His website is www.tmsgems.com

9th Jun 2008 17:08 UTCGail Spann Manager

Thank you Bonnie!

6th Mar 2010 17:14 UTCL Frazer

Hi, I am not a regular member of this forum, but in trying to locate an old friend, I came across your post. Chuck Turley was a geologist with whom I worked in Montana and Utah when we were both employed by Utah International Inc. doing mineral exploration (1982 - 1986). He had a side business buying and selling mineral specimens and I have several nice pieces from him. I believe his business was called "Silver Sceptor Minerals" and he was partners with M. (Marshall?) Koval. I know he was a regular at the Tucson show for many years. He and Marshall had an article in this publication - the Miller collection may have been one they inventoried in Missoula:

Mineralogical Record 18(6) : November-December 1987. $15

Cover: Cinnabar with dolomite and quartz

With STEREOPTICON 707 - a stereoscope.

Mineral curators: their appointment and duties P.G. Embrey 389

Pyrite crystals from the Duff quarry R.P. Richards and S.C. Chamberlain 391

Mineral stereophotography W.E. Wilson and S.C. Chamberlain 399
The Miller calcite collection C. Turley and M. Koval 405

Mineralogy of the Killie mine, Elko County, Nevada G.E. Dunning and J.F. Cooper, Jr. 413

Historical notes on mineralogy L.H. Conklin 423

Microminerals W.A. Henderson, Jr. 435

Index to volume 18 446


He was a close personal friend of mine, a knowledgeable geologist as well as a character, but I lost track of him and would love to hear from anyone who has any news about Chuck. You can email me at mtskookum@yahoo.com. Thanks!

6th Mar 2010 17:40 UTCRob Woodside 🌟 Manager

I haven't seen Chuck for well over a decade, but I saw Marshal in Denver two shows ago. (All my fault since those were the last shows I attended) I have forgotten the whereabouts of Chuck, but Marshall was into mining in South America. The person you want to talk to is George Witters who is still dealing in Denver. He will certainly know.


I was a little surprised reading the earlier posts on this thread, until I noticed the dates. Just before this recent (2010) Tucson show Harvey Gordon died. It happens to us all and when people hear of someone's demise they express sympathy. However, even though Harvey had been ill and somewhat recovered, everyone let out a gasp of real sadness when I told them of this kind man's death. Harvey was a wonderful person and all who knew him are sorry for his loss.

7th Mar 2010 05:23 UTCGail Spann Manager

I had forgotten all about this thread, am glad to go back and read it again. Since I first started this I have actually met and come to know many on the list. I guess you can't help bumping elbows when you go to shows.

L Frazer, I hope you find your friend!

7th Mar 2010 19:45 UTCWilliam W. Besse Expert

Gail,


Neil and Chris Pfaff are still around but not active in the hobby that I know of.


Gus Meister passed away a couple of years ago. His daughter, Ann, is still active in the hobby. She still makes the Meister Trimmer and sells parts for same.


Tony Potucek was one of the judges at the TGMS show this year and worked on organizing the Azurite case. Also, Barbara and Forrest Cureton were the rarity judges as the have been for so many years.


Peter Keller left the GIA some time ago and is now President of the Bowers Museum http://www.bowers.org/.


Kirby (note spelling) and Eddy Siber have Siber+Siber http://www.siber-siber.ch/indexs.html in Aathal, Switzerland. I saw Kirby at the TGMS show.


Bill


PS> OOPs. I did not look at the original dating of this thread, so you probably have this info already. WWB

26th Feb 2011 12:08 UTCalfredo ferri

Hi Guys ....I'm still in business ...with my own company I SASSI ..in Milano -Italy ...I've bee at GJX ...last Tucson show ...!!!

I'm writing now about my life as collector ...in Tuscon for the show since 1972 ...never lost one !!!

See you soon in S.Marie ...

Al.

26th Feb 2011 19:06 UTCGail Spann Manager

Thanks, still good to hear.

27th Feb 2011 00:08 UTCFred & Linda Elsnau

Justin,


Gus Meister passed away a few years ago and Ann is the current president of MSSC. We would love to see you at a meeting once in a while!


Linda & Fred

28th Feb 2011 20:39 UTCLuiz Alberto Dias Menezes, Fo.

Álvaro Lúcio is 86 years ago and very active as a mineral dealer (at the Inn Suites) and as a consultant on Metallurgy. He has what is on my opinion the second best mineral collection in Brazil (the first is Julio Landmann's).


Luiz

30th Apr 2017 20:25 UTCJohn Attard Expert

Malcolm Southwood Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Gail,

> Cyril Kovac is still an active mineral dealer

> based here in Melbourne, Australia. As a matter

> of fact I spent a very pleasant morning yesterday

> with Cyril going through some of his mineral

> stock. I think its a few years since he's been to

> Tucson, but he's a great bloke, an honest dealer,

> and a good friend.


Jesse you wrote in this thread in 2008 that Alain Carion passed away.


I think Alain Carion is still around! I saw him in Tucson only a few years ago and am writing in 2017. Am referring to the French mineral dealer. If I am seeing dead people walking around I need to have some explanation!!..


Maybe someone will enlighten me.

1st May 2017 00:43 UTCTony Albini

Gail and Jim,


I knew a Bill Henderson when I was in CT. He is deceased. You can check with Wendell Wilson but I believe he wrote a micromounter's column in the early days of the Mineralogical Record. He was an avid micromounter.


Regards,


Tony Albini

1st May 2017 09:37 UTCPaul De Bondt Manager

04149390014951474108804.jpg
I know this topic is quite old but nevertheless, here are perhaps a few missing links.


I can confirm that Alain Carion is still around. Met him at the Liège show in november 2016.

Instead, French alps dealer and collector Michel Jouty passed away a few years back.

Davis New is deceased too, I read somewhere.

Back in 1988, I bought from him a nice radioactive specimen from Shinkolobwe.



I met Dwight Weber at the Tucson show in 1988 and he came to visit me in Belgium that same year.

For my hospitality, he gave me a superb ferberite from Zinnwald.

He specialised in Tsumeb and I bought a few specimens from him. Went to visit him at home near LA.

He wrote a few columns in the Tsumeb MR issue of 1976.

His company was Nature's Treasures based in Hawthorne, California.

Lost every contact with him. Does anyone knows more about him ?


Thanks.

1st May 2017 11:03 UTCMario Pauwels

Quote....French alps dealer and collector Michel Jouty passed away a few years back.


Paul, I have met Michel Jouty last August at the 2016 Chamonix Show. But unfortunately Michel died on December 11th, 2016 at the age of 86.


Best regards,

Mario Pauwels

1st May 2017 12:21 UTCKeith Compton 🌟 Manager

Hi


Not sure why this topic is still active.


But I can advise that Cyril Kovac (Kovacic) passed in 2016.


Cheers


Keith

1st May 2017 12:39 UTCDon Swenson

Bill Metropolis now appraises and buys mineral collections. He and his 2 daughters have a booth at the Topsfield MA show in early May and one at the Capital Mineral Show in Concord NH in late August. He offers bargain specimens on his tables at these shows but many knowledgeable collectors attend in order to view and buy high-end specimens from him.

1st May 2017 14:40 UTCAlfredo Petrov Manager

I spoke with Alain Carion today in Osaka, Japan --- He is very much alive and active!

1st May 2017 14:44 UTCWilliam W. Besse Expert

I am not sure exactly but I believe Dwight Weber passed over 20 years ago. Among other things he had been president of the Mineralogical Society of Southern California.


Bill

1st May 2017 17:55 UTCSusan Robinson

Betty Roberts was a warm, wonderful person, and was instrumental in putting together the first display of "reunion pockets" (I'm guessing at what the display was called) at the TGMS. The first exhibit was a gathering of the best crystals of wulfenites from the Red Cloud mine in museums' collections. It was spectacular, and great to see all of the best crystals in one display again.


Harvey Gordon was a mineral dealer from Reno, Nevada. His business name changed over the years and he had several claims in Nevada: Lola mine, Zapot mine, to name two of them.


Mark Feinglos is a physician who collects rare species.


Bill Henderson was a micromounter from Connecticut.


Bill Metropolis worked as a mineral collection manager under Carl Francis at Harvard U.


Chris Pfaff is the wife of Neil Pfaff (recently deceased). Neal was a superb field collector, and one of his "big digs" was at Spruce Peak in Washington for the quartz and pyrite crystals.


Paul Clifford is a retired curator (Cleveland Museum); Many of he and his wife's collection have been generously donated to the Seaman Mineral Museum, Houghton, MI.

1st May 2017 20:47 UTCPaul De Bondt Manager

Wendell Wilson just wrote me to say Dwight Weber passed away in 2009.

23rd Jun 2023 15:55 UTCTroy Schmidt

I realize this is an old thread but I was researching Stan Lesnick today.  He died in 2014 and here is his obituary:

"Stanley Lesnick was born in New York City on December 27, 1925 to David and Jenny (Klinger) Lesnick. When he was born the doctor asked Jenny what name she had chosen for her son. When she replied "Stanley", the doctor promptly told her that Stanley was not a good name and that she should name him Samuel. Jenny was a very strong-willed woman and not one that would be easily deterred; she insisted that he be named Stanley, but the doctor had the last laugh. He simply wrote "Male Lesnick" on the birth certificate. Stan's parents were young Russian immigrants, his mother from Odessa and his father from Bessarabia - what is now known as the Ukraine. Their families had helped them both to flee the turmoil prior to the Russian Revolution in 1917. Neither ever saw their parents again. Stan's parents had internal strength, pride and a determination to succeed in their new homeland, and it was those traits that shaped Stan and his older sister Sylvia's lives growing up in NYC during the Great Depression. Stan loved playing stickball on the streets of the Lower East side of Manhattan. He would later delight in telling his daughters of his exploits donning roller skates and hanging onto the bumpers of taxi-cabs for fun. His daughters were pretty sure that their grandmother did not know about any of this. Stan was a natural talent, both scholastically and physically; excelling came easily to him. He graduated from Bedford Stuyvesant High School at just sixteen years of age. Then he went to Brooklyn College where he proved to be a gifted athlete, playing football as a running track, and throwing the discus and javelin. After his freshman year Stan's studies were interrupted when he was drafted into the Army. Stan joined the Army Air Corps, but fortunately, World War II was drawing to a close as he was finishing flight training. After his honorable discharge, Stan returned to Brooklyn College where he completed his Bachelor's Degree, and later acquired a Master's Degree in Education from Columbia University, NYC. Stan felt that there would always be children to teach. Stan met his one, life-long, true love, Beth Powell, while they were both working for the summer in the Catskills in upstate NY. They married in April of 1952 and started their life together on the East Side of Manhattan. When their first daughter, Dana, was a toddler, Stan and Beth took the plunge and bought a house in a new development on Long Island. Three years later their second daughter, Carolyn, joined their lives and completed their family. Long Island at that time was still so rural that at the end of their street there was a local dairy barn that sold milk, eggs and bread. Families typically only had one car then, and service people - from knife sharpeners to dry cleaners - would drive through the neighborhoods delivering their services. Their home on Odell Street held many happy times for Stan and Beth, and all of their friends and children. Driving his family to Indiana in the summer to visit his in-laws was an annual rite for Stan. The trips became adventures for the family. They visited nearly every state in the nation, and camped at countless state and national parks throughout the western US. Life was full and very busy for this young suburban couple and their girls, and what fun they had! During the trips out west Stan and Beth discovered a new passion that would define their lives for the next fifty years - mineral collecting. It didn't take long before mineral specimens took over their house and a hobby business was born. They would go to gem and mineral shows up and down the East Coast selling their minerals to eager collectors. Their hobby facilitated another of their passions - traveling. They explored hamlets throughout Europe and later South Africa in search of unusual or rare mineral specimens that were unknown to but a few Americans at that time. Luckily for Stan, he had chosen a career that allowed him to travel for two or more months every summer. Stan and Beth traveled the world together and of all the places they had been, they wanted to live in Tucson. So, when Stan retired from the New York City school system in 1982, they quickly moved to Tucson for the beauty of the stark desert and yes, the constant blue skies, but also because Tucson hosts the largest mineral show in the world. Tucson indulged all their passions and although Stan remained a Mets fan to the end, his heart was in Tucson. Stan leaves behind a heartbroken family: his wife, Beth Lesnick and daughters, Dana and Carolyn. At six-foot-six, Stan could be an imposing presence for those that didn't know him and he did relish "the tough guy" image, but he also had an enormous heart, and he loved his family and all of his friends deeply and fiercely. Stan is survived by his wife, Beth; daughters, Dana and Carolyn and his grandchildren, Nickolas and Natalya. They and their families will miss him dearly. Arrangements by EAST LAWN PALMS MORTUARY."
   [Arizona Daily Star, April 27, 2014] 

23rd Jun 2023 17:58 UTCDonald C. Swenson

For the past few years Bill Metropolis has had a booth at 2 shows; one in Topsfield MA & one in Concord NH. He has been an appraiser of mineral collections for some years & sells specimens from some of these collections at discount prices, along with his 2 daughters. He lives in the Topsfield MA area.

23rd Jun 2023 20:32 UTCAlfredo Petrov Manager

I really don't think Bill should be trying to sell his daughters.

24th Jun 2023 03:33 UTCJohn M Stolz Expert

I agree--especially at a discount
 
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