Edward J. Cotter *63

Ed died May 13, 2022, in Shrewsbury, Mass. He was 85 years old.

Ed graduated from Tufts in 1958. He began graduate school at the California Institute of Technology, then transferred to Princeton and earned a Ph.D. in geology in 1963.

After two years studying sandstones and recent carbonate sediments while based in Tulsa, Okla., Ed’s college teaching career began in 1964 as a one-year sabbatical replacement in the Department of Geology at Tufts. In 1965, he joined the geology department at Bucknell, where he remained until his retirement in 2000. His research specialty was sedimentology, the interpretation of the origin of ancient sedimentary rocks.

Committed to teaching introductory courses, Ed taught sedimentology and paleontology, and supervised approximately 65 senior theses. He received the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching and the Class of  ’56 Lectureship for Inspirational Teaching. During sabbaticals Ed followed research interests in Dublin, Ireland, Sydney, Australia, and Cape Town, South Africa.

After retiring, Ed helped establish the Bucknell Institute for Lifelong Learning. He served as director and furthered his passion to engage students of all ages and backgrounds.

Ed is survived by his wife of 53 years, Jacqueline; and their daughter, Amy.

Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.