M. Dane Picard

M. Dane Picard, of Salt Lake City passed away on March 29, 2021 at the age of 93. Born in Missouri in 1927, Picard was raised in Laramie, Wyoming. He graduated from high school during World War II and entered the Navy, where he managed the kitchen on large ships. Upon leaving, Picard received his undergraduate degree at the University of Wyoming and continued his graduate work at Princeton University, where he received a doctorate in Geological Science. Picard worked in the oil industry and taught at the University of Nebraska while starting his family. In 1968, he joined the faculty of University of Utah,where he taught for more than three decades in the Department of Geology and Geophysics and was granted Professor Emeritus status upon his retirement in 2002.

Throughout his career, Picard continued his research and was a prolific writer. He wrote over 300 articles and essays for publications including the Journal of Earth Sciences and Earth Sciences History, published poetry, and is the author of five books. In addition, he remained current with research and supported others in the field, publishing more than 225 book reviews. Notably, Picard wove his knowledge of the earth into poems and essays that take geology as a foundation to reflect on nature, the West, travel, family, and the vicissitudes of life. The Geological Society Bulletin noted in a review, “Picard is a geologist who writes truth like fiction. Picard writes wonderful tales about people and places and the geology that he has encountered along the way. His writings are filled with warmth and humor.” In March of 2002, the Society for Sedimentary Geology recognized Picard with the Pettijohn Medal for excellence in sedimentology, citing his “outstanding breadth and quality of research in sedimentary geology for half a century, the ability to relate the microscopic to the region and the power to inform and entertain through book reviews, essays and poetry.”  

Picard went by the nickname Duke. He was an avid reader and had a prodigious library, always with a book or five by his chair or bedside. He enjoyed playing tennis and spending time in rock formations. He loved to travel and visited geological sites around the globe. He appreciated meals and conversation with family and friends and had a sweet tooth for chocolate and ice cream. Picard is survived by his sisters, Paula Picard, Diane Ellis, and sister-in-law Kay Picard; his former wife Virginia (Ginny) Picard; his four children, Marion (Dean Smith), Jacqueline (David Dunham), Dane (Annie Buckley), and Bennet; and his grandchildren Katie, Bailey, Lindsey, and Geoffrey.