I am deeply sorry to tell you that Neil Tibert, Professor of Geology, passed away early yesterday morning after a brief illness. Neil was called to the faculty in 2003 after receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Dalhousie University. Proud of his Nova Scotian heritage, Neil grew up on fishing boats, a source of his lifelong interest in the ocean and sea. As a micropaleontologist and sedimentologist, he studied microfossils and what they tell us about environmental change. In recent research, he and his students extracted core samples from the Chesapeake Bay to look at changes in climate and other issues over time. Neil was devoted to his students past and present. As recently as early November, he presented with many of them at the Geological Society of America annual meetings.
In addition to being a highly productive scholar and sought-after teacher, Neil was admired for his talents as lead guitar in his blues band. He is survived by his wife, Lisa, and their three children, Dylan, Chloe and Riley. He will be sorely missed by his colleagues and students for his lively good nature and generous spirit. There are no current plans for a funeral but there have been discussions about holding a celebration of his life in the spring.
Richard Finkelstein
Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
University of Mary Washington
