Frederick J. Sawkins *63

Frederick Sawkins, retired professor of geology at the University of Minnesota, died Oct. 6, 2016, at age 81.

Born in South Africa, Sawkins graduated from the University of Cape Town in 1957. He moved to England and graduated from the London School of Mines in 1960. In 1963 he earned a Ph.D. in geology from Princeton.

After post-doctoral study in Durham, England, and living in Lima, Peru, Sawkins went to the University of Minnesota in 1968. He was a professor in the department of geology and geophysics until retiring in 1991. He wrote two well-received books and more than 50 articles in professional journals. In 2016, he was awarded special recognition at the Geological Society of South Africa’s 35th International Congress in Cape Town

After his early retirement, Sawkins moved to Hampton, Va., to fulfill his passion for sailing, eventually logging more than 26,000 miles, including a trans-Atlantic sail. He regularly contributed to editorial pages of local and regional newspapers on the world’s energy and environmental problems.

He is survived by his wife, Virginia, whom he married in 1998, and her son. He is also survived by two children from his first marriage to Patricia and two grandchildren.

Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.