For those of us who were fortunate to know and work with Frank Kottlowski, the words of his son-in-law, David Schoderbeck, ring true. Frank Edward Kottlowski (1921-2001)
“He was a kind and gentle man, a war hero of the greatest generation, a giant among his many esteemed colleagues, and a pillar of New Mexico geology. Frank’s life was characterized by selfless generosity and dutiful service” (David Schoderbek, AAPG Bulletin Memorials, 2001)
Frank’s appreciation and kind words for colleagues were undoubtedly influenced by his surviving 22 combat missions over Europe and the Middle East as a B-17 navigator during WWII.
Frank apparently also had a poetic talent as demonstrated by the closing poem to his article on “Rocks That Shape the Enchanting Landscape”.
Earth wears a mantle rich with lore,
Of storied fabric finely spun,
That tells of kingdoms come and gone,
Of legions lost and battles won.
No seer no monarch can divine,
The cryptic writings; he alone,
Who humbly speaks the tongue of earth,
Can find a story in a stone.
Several documents are available here for those that wish to recollect Frank's contributions to the Bureau of Geology and to the geology of New Mexico:
- Enchanting Landscape Poem — Frank Kottlowski (original)
- Obituary in New Mexico Geology, August, 2001
- AAPG Memorial
- Gilbert H. Cady Award — citation by Gretchen Hoffman with a response by Frank Kottlowski, GSA Today, March, 1997, pp. 20-21.
- Dedication of NMGS 1991 Guidebook — William Muehlberger
- AAPG Honorary Membership, 1985 — citation by William King with a response by Frank Kottlowski, AAPG Bulletin, 1985, v.69, n.5, pp 826-828.
- Obituary, New Mexico Tech community, June-Nov. 2001
- Kottlowski Memorial Endowment