George Frederick Koehler ’53

George, whose major in geology was a springboard to his successful exploration and mining career, died of staph pneumonia followed by respiratory arrest in Spokane Valley, Wash., July 14, 2005.

He entered Princeton from Penn Charter, captained the freshman fencing team, played in the band, and joined Dial Lodge. Peter Enander, a roommate and groomsman when George married Elise Howland in 1958, remembers him as quiet and dignified with a humorous side. After finals senior year, George and some colleagues wondered what had happened to college pranks. Whereupon they went to Eno Hall, borrowed a stuffed elk from the museum, and placed it on a bench in 1979 Hall's archway with a "Gotcha" sign tied to its tail.

After Army service and graduate courses at Harvard, George became a renowned geologist based in Canada with Consolidated Mining and Smelting (Cominco). He later worked for the company in Missouri, where he found the Magmont Mine, and finally in Washington. Among his achievements as Cominco chief geologist was the discovery and development of "Red Dog" Mine, the largest zinc/lead mine in North America.

Besides Elise, he is survived by son J. Michael, daughters Patricia Willebrand and Susan Skeen, and three grandchildren. George was a gracious, genuine, spiritual, and intellectual man, and we mourn his passing.

The Class of 1953