Charles William Collinson

After serving in the World War II Army Air Force, he found his way into geology through hands-on work in a family quarry in Moline, Illinois. That experience led him to Augustana College, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1949, and then to the University of Iowa, where he trained in paleontology and scientific research.

He joined the Illinois State Geological Survey in 1952 and remained associated with it and the University of Illinois for nearly six decades. Early in his career he became known as an invertebrate paleontologist specializing in conodont biostratigraphy, and later he helped lead important research on erosion and sedimentary processes along the Lake Michigan shore.

Remembered by colleagues as warm, generous, and encouraging, he also stayed active in outreach and education after retirement. He died in Champaign, Illinois, on November 25, 2011.