nlapr2008
The Cochise County Rock
Monthly Newsletter of the Sunsites Gem & Mineral Club
www.cochisecountyrock.org
“Finding and Grinding Rocks in Cochise County, Arizona since 1962”
April 2008
This issue edited by Debi Breese
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Sunsites Gem and Mineral Club General Meeting Minutes - March 10, 2008
President Don Hammer called the meeting to order at 7 p.m.
The meeting began with a presentation by John R. Ratje entitled, “Flight Through The Universe”. Mr. Ratje is Assistant Director for Operations at the Mt. Graham International Observatory and has been employed by Steward Observatory, the research arm for the Department of Astronomy at the University of Arizona.
After a brief intermission, the regular business meeting followed Mr. Ratje’s presentation.
Don introduced new members and then entertained a motion to approve the minutes for our last meeting. The motion was moved, seconded, and approved.
Walter Sigel gave the Treasurer’s Report. The current account balance is $2,047.31, and Certificate of Deposit balance is $3,112.71. Don entertained a motion to approve the report. It was moved, seconded, and approved.
Announcements:
A Lapidary class, led by Larry Strout, is held Thursday evenings at 6:00 and another led by Irvin Pontious meets at 9 on Friday morning. A silver soldering class taught by Larry Strout meets at 10 am on Tuesdays. A Silver Smithing class, led by Keith McRoberts, is held the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month.
The club has purchased a slab saw from Bob Fenner, which will ease the bottleneck for cutting slabs during the Lapidary classes.
A “Thinking of You” card was passed around for Carol Pontious who is ill, giving members opportunity to express their thoughts to Carol.
Volunteers are needed to supply refreshments for our General Meetings.
Don asked that all members fill out the program survey as soon as possible.
We will meet for field trip on Saturday, March, 15, at 7:45 a.m. at the Sunsites Community Center and leave at 8:00 for the Lucky Cuss Mine in Tombstone. Bob Fenner displayed an assortment of the types of minerals to be found at this location, many of which fluoresce. High clearance vehicles only for this site.
Don opened a discussion of whether our field trips should take place on Saturdays only or alternate with Sundays. Some members can’t make it on Sundays because of Church services, but generally everyone can participate on Saturdays. It was suggested that Don e-mail all members to see if anyone objects to Saturday only field trips. Don will follow this suggestion.
Following announcements, our rock raffle was held. Barbara asked that those bringing rocks to be raffled identify their composition and provenance for the benefit of those who win them.
Don entertained a motion to adjourn that was moved, seconded, and approved. Meeting adjourned at 9:05 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jim Brower
Sad News:
Carol Pontious passed away, Saturday, March 29. There was a memorial service for Carol at the Sunglow Ranch on Turkey Creek Road on Saturday, April 5th at 10 a.m. Her obituary is below.
Carol Pontius 1956-2008
Carol Kinley was born in Ridgway Pennsylvania, November 25, 1956. She died on March 29, 2008 at her home in rural Cochise County, Arizona. She was the only child of Myrna and Glenn Kinley. Her childhood was fulfilling, including activities in 4-H clubs, outdoor activities, and a love for horses. Carol was a devoted mother to her child, Daniel Adam, born in 1984.
Carol met Irvin Pontious in 1987 and they became "soul mates". They were a couple that did everything together! On June 5, 2000, Carol and Irvin were married at the Maria Lutheran Church, Dagus Mines, Pennsylvania. Carol embraced and loved Irvin's children as her own.
Prior to moving to Arizona, Carol was a 4-H leader and gave riding lessons in her community. She was employed at Motion Control, Ridgway Pennsylvania, for 24 years.
In August of 2002 Carol and Irvin moved to Arizona and built a wonderful life together meeting special friends and fulfilling many of their dreams.
If a person's character can be judged by the friends they have, it is clear Carol was a very special person. Whenever there was work to be done, or if there was someone in need, she was there to lend a hand. Carol was admired, appreciated, and loved by those she worked with.
Carol's strong faith in God's presence accompanied her when she was diagnosed with cancer. She faced her illness with courage, never complaining, but focusing on the needs of others.
Carol is survived by her husband, Irvin Pontius, her son Daniel Goeger, her step children; Jennifer Anderson, Penny, Jason, and Chip Pontious; nine grandchildren and a host of relatives and close friends.
May God bless her memory. (From the program at Carol’s memorial.)
Before Carol’s health began to fail this past year, Carol and Irvin participated in every Gem & Mineral Club activity. Irvin is teaching a lapidary class. Carol served as secretary last year, and I think cooked at least one turkey for our Christmas party every year – she volunteered to cook both a couple of years ago, but I thought that was a bit much and found someone to cook the other turkey. Carol was a secretary in the Sheriff’s Office, and most of the office was at her memorial including Sheriff Deaver. She worked four 10-hour days in Bisbee, and then helped at Sunglow Ranch in the evenings and on the other three days. DAH)
March Field Trip to the
Tombstone Hills
On Saturday March 15 twenty members and two guests assembled in the Community Center parking lot, Don explained the route we would follow pointing out that we would be re-tracing the path that Coronado most likely followed from the San Pedro River through Mule pass (Davis Road today) into the Sulphur Springs Valley. We arrived at the sand and gravel operation in Tombstone shortly after 9 AM and then maneuvered through town to the Third Street entrance to meet the owner who led us to the Lucky Cuss silver mine. After a short orientation by Bob, we scattered out and found several interesting types of rock. Later Bob found a better mine complex further in, and we all relocated to those mines. We found white, black, yellow and blue calcite, onyx, travertine, popcorn aragonite and manganese dendrites in sizes from lapidary use to yard rocks. In fact, a major portion of the hill was a solid white calcite outcrop with large crystals weathering out. Henri even found a large piece of silver ore. Everyone got all the rocks they wanted by 1 PM, and one member commented during the lunch break that if you couldn’t find a rock that interested you here you probably couldn’t anywhere. Several vehicles were riding noticeably lower on the way out. We thank Bob Fenner for arranging an excellent field trip to a very productive collecting site.
April Field Trip – 19 April
We will go to French Joe Canyon in the Whetstones for bright red coral and nice jasper. Meet at 9 am on Saturday, April 19 in the south parking lot of Gas City in Benson – Exit 302 off I-10; we will leave promptly at 9:15. You will need high clearance vehicles but not 4 WD; once we turn off Highway 90 into the canyon we will be driving on rocks for the last mile or so to the wash. The site is generally flat with a couple of washes cut through it and coral can be found anywhere on the prairie as well as in the washes. Bring light digging tools, bags or pails, rock hammers, chisels and water. Also bring lunch, sun and eye protection, gloves and lawn chairs.
Membership Dues
We thank all the Club members that have paid their dues in a timely manner. We thank Ed Fenn for the $10 donation to the Club that arrived with his dues payment. Donations to the Club are always welcome. If you have not paid your dues, please mail your checks to:
Sunsites' Gem & Mineral Club
P.O. Box 87
Pearce, AZ 85625
Lapidary and Silversmith
Classes
Silversmith classes are scheduled for the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month from 2 – 4 PM at the Lab behind the Fire Department.
Lapidary classes are in session on Thursday from 6 to 9 PM and Friday at 9 to noon at the Lapidary Room behind the Fire Station.
Come and join the fun for lapidary, silversmith, and wire wrap lessons. Interested, any questions? Call Irvin Pontious for lapidary at 824-0110. Silversmith - call Don Hammer 384-3105. Wire Wrap - call Larry Strout 826-3991.
April 14 - Monthly Meeting
Robert & Alicia Miller - Gems
Robert and Alicia Miller will examine rough gems, specimens, and materials collected from all over the world. They will show examples of big and small rough and cut sapphires, garnets of various types, cab rough, fossils, etc. They will examine and provide handouts on recognizing crystal structures in the rough, recognizing ruby origins from their color axis and general inclusions. They will also discuss the geological factors that bring about the formation of such stones and where logically they should be looked for.
Club Calendar:
April May
3 Board Meeting 1 Board Meeting
14 Monthly Mtg 12 Monthly Meeting
19 Field Trip 17 Field Trip
June
7 Picnic
Upcoming Regional Events
Reminder: Apache Creek, NM
“AGATE RENDEZVOUS 2008” - August 23RD to September 1ST, 2008 (See February Newsletter)
New Mexico Gem & Mineral Clubs (from RMFMS.org)
New Mexico:
P.O. Box 13718, Albuquerque, NM 87192-3718 Pres: Susan Seymour, (505) 877-3621; suzannerox5@aol.com
Carlsbad: Road Runner Gem & Mineral Club: 1801 Solana Rd., Carlsbad, NM 88220; Meets 1st Monday, 7pm at Senior Recreation Center, 1112 N. Mesa; Pres: Frank Pierce, (505) 885-7676; e-mail: marynixon@valornet.com
Farmington: San Juan County Gem & Mineral Society: P. O. Box 1482; Farmington, NM 87499-1482; Meets 4th Tuesday, 7:30pm in Sun's Dining Room at San Juan College, 4601 College Blvd.; Pres: Duane Gustin, (505) 402-9742; dbgustin@msn.com
Las Cruces: Gem Crafters & Explorers Club:
P. O. Box 3091, Las Cruces, NM 88003; Meets 3rd Friday 6:30pm, (except July & Dec) at Breland Hall, room 189, NMSU Campus; Pres: LeRoy Unglaub, (505) 524-9497; pathfdr@zianet.com
P.O. Box 762, Los Alamos, NM 87544; Meets 3rd Tuesday, 7:30pm at Christian Church, 92 East Rd.; Pres: Joyce Guzik, (505) 672-0249; joy@lanl.gov
Roswell: P.O. Box 815, Roswell, NM 88203
Santa Fe Geological Society, Inc.: P. O. Box 1245, Sandia Park, NM 87047; Pres: Lee Winn, (505) 820-1085; e-mail: rwinn@cybermesa.com
Silver City: Grant County Rolling Stones Gem & Mineral Society: P.O. Box 1555, Silver City, NM 88062-1555; Meets 2nd Thursday, 6pm at Silver City Senior Center, 205 W. Victoria St.; Pres: B J Burch, (505) 388-4312; e-mail: mamafisch@aol.com
Truth or Consequences: Sierra Gem and Mineral Society: 813 Gold; Truth or Consequences, NM 87901; Pres: Leon Gorrell (505) 894-0559
Non-Affiliated Clubs for New Mexico
Clovis Gem & Mineral Society: 1587 BY 60-84, Clovis, NM 88101
Deming Gem & Mineral Society: P.O. Box 1459, Deming, NM 88031
Lordsburg: Rockamania Gem & Mineral Society: 208 Motel Dr., Lordsburg, NM 88045
Club Officers for 2008
President Don Hammer 520 384-3105
Vice-President Henri Van den Bos 520 384-0288
Secretary Diane Brower 520 826-4672
Treasurer Walt Sigel 520-826-1009
Delegate at Large Jack Light 520-384-4774
Hospitality Coordinator Hanni Sigel 520-826-1009
Past President Paul McKnight 520 824-4054
Quote of the Month: Nothing grows in the shade, so fill your days with sunshine. - dlb
SUNSITES GEM AND MINERAL CLUB
P.O. Box 87
PEARCE, AZ 85625