This is the "Fossil Friday" post #211. Expect this to be a somewhat regular feature of the website. We will post any fossil pictures you send in to [email protected]. Please include a short description or story. Check the #FossilFriday Twitter hash tag for contributions from around the world!
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This week, we have a combination Throwback Thursday and Fossil Friday. We have some spectacular Calymeme celebra trilobites. These C. celebra lived about 425 million years ago during the Silurian Period. They were collected and prepared by the Wanda Boush (nee Lambert), who joined ESCONI in 1958. She worked with Jean Reynolds and a few others on the ESCONI newsletter during the 1960's. And, in the 1970's, she served as Corresponding Secretary. She enjoyed all the ESCONI Study Groups, of which there were many back then.
Here's a photo of Wanda from 1966 at Houghton, MI. They were there for the Copper County Rock and Mineral Club's annual show. Wanda provided this photo and more for ESCONI's 25th Anniversary in 1974. Wanda is in the center of the back row.
Harriet & Cal George, Steve & Dan, Wanda Boush, Kathy & Harold Schmedlin
Wanda joined Western Electric in 1941, working at the old Hawthorne Works in Cicero, IL. ESCONI's roots go back to that facility as Bill Allaway, Doc Hoff, and other founding ESCONI members all worked there (see Throwback Thursday #99). The club grew out of their shared rockhound interests.
Recently, Wanda reached out to us to donate some fossil and gem material to the club. She's currently living in Alamo, Texas, which just celebrated its 100th birthday. They made her Centennial Queen as at 102... she's older than the town! The photo below is from the Winter Texan Times.
Several museum “Friends” along with the Centennial Queen, 102-year-old Wanda Boush, long time Alamo resident, were at the presentation where the Mayor J.R. Garza and commissioners indicated they were pleased with the gift to the city. The quilt will be on display first at the Alamo City Hall until the end of the year and then can be seen at the local museum starting in 2025.
She grew up in Clarendon Hills, IL. and always loved trilobites. The ones she sent us were collected in Lemont, IL. She prepared them by hand with a hammer and a nail punch. She was mighty handy with that nail punch as these bugs look very nice!
Thanks for sharing, Wanda! There trilobite are happy to get back home in Illinois.