George Earle Becraft
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: 11 Oct 1922 - Skagit Co, WA 2
Christening:
Death: 30 May 2011 - Brooksville, Hernando Co, FL
Burial:
Cause of Death:
AFN :
Events
• Soc Sec Num, 574-05-2891
• Biography
Name: Becraft , George Entbl Birth - Death: 1922- ntbl Accession Number: 287161ntbl Source Citation: American Men & Women of Science. A biographical directory of today's leaders in physical, biological, and related sciences. 12th edition, Physical & Biological Sciences. Seven volumes. New York: R.R. Bowker Co., 1971.(AmMWSc 12P)• Biography
Name: Becraft , George Earlentbl Accession Number: 287162ntbl Source Citation: American Men & Women of Science. A biographical directory of today's leaders in physical, biological, and related sciences. 17th edition. Eight volumes. New York: R.R. Bowker Co., 1989.(AmMWSc 17)• Biography
Name: Becraft , George Earlentbl Birth - Death: 1922- ntbl Accession Number: 287163ntbl Source Citation: American Men & Women of Science. A biographical directory of today's leaders in physical, biological, and related sciences. 13th edition, Physical & Biological Sciences. Seven volumes. New York: R.R. Bowker Co., 1976.(AmMWSc 13P) American Men & Women of Science. A biographical directory of today's leaders in physical, biological, and related sciences. 14th edition. Eight volumes. New York: R.R. Bowker Co., 1979.(AmMWSc 14) American Men & Women of Science. A biographical directory of today's leaders in physical, biological, and related sciences. 15th edition. Seven volumes. New York: R.R. Bowker Co., 1982.(AmMWSc 15) American Men & Women of Science. A biographical directory of today's leaders in physical, biological, and related sciences. 16th edition. Eight volumes. New York: R.R. Bowker Co., 1986.(AmMWSc 16)• Obituary, Citrus County Chronicle, 3 Jun 2011
Dr. George Earle Becraft (1922 - 2011)• Obituary, The Washington Post, 14 Jun 2011
The family and friends of Dr. George Earle Becraft of Sugarmill Woods, Homosassa, Florida, with deepest regret report the passing of his ready smile, quick laugh and warm embrace on May 30, 2011, in Brooksville, Florida, fittingly on Memorial Day.
He was born Oct. 11, 1922, in Sedro-Woolley, Washington.
George was retired from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) after many years of service as a research and administrative scientist.
During World War II, he served as a bomber pilot in the Army Air Corps, flying more than 50 combat missions in Europe. He earned his B.S. (1949) and M.S. (1950) in geology from Washington State University and his PhD in geology from the University of Washington (1959). Before joining the USGS, George taught geology at Vassar College. He joined the USGS in 1950 and worked on a variety of mineral resource studies in Idaho, Montana, and Washington. In 1967, he was appointed chief of the Office of Scientific Publications. George was later appointed chief of the Office of Mineral Resources, where he directed the activities of 300 mineral resource specialists stationed in Reston, VA, Menlo Park, California, and Denver, Colorado.
Dr. Becraft authored numerous scientific publications on the geology of ore deposits in the northwestern U.S. and was honored with the Interior Department Meritorious Service Award for his many scientific and administrative contributions. Dr. Becraft was a Fellow of the Geologic Society of America, councilor and member of the Executive Committee of the Society of Economic Geologists, past president of the Association of Earth Science Editors, and past secretary-treasurer of the American Geological Institute and member of its Board of Governors.
Upon retirement, George moved to Sugarmill Woods, Homosassa, Florida, to pursue his passion for golf and avoid another winter shoveling snow. He was a member of Southern Woods Golf Club.
Dr. Becraft was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary, the mother of his 4 children. He is survived by his lovely wife, Sharon; sons, Craig (Robin), Eric (Kathy) and Bruce (Helen); daughter, Karen Foard (Wayne); 10 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; 3 stepchildren, Kim Morin (Mike), Keith Sheppard (Ly) and Karen Fuss (David); 2 stepgrandchildren; and one step-great-grandchild.
A private family service will be held at a later date in Washington, D.C., at the World War II Veterans Memorial. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Washington State University Foundation Scholarship Fund.
Heinz Funeral Home & Cremation, Inverness, FL.
George E. Becraft, geologist
Published: June 14
George E. Becraft, 88, who worked at the U.S. Geological Survey for more than 30 years and retired as chief of the office of mineral resources, died May 30 at a hospital in Brooksville, Fla. He had congestive heart failure.
Dr. Becraft joined the USGS in 1950 and worked on mineral research projects in Idaho, Montana and Washington. In 1974, he took over the mineral resources office, where he directed the activities of 300 mineral resource specialists across the country. He retired in the mid-1980s.
Over the years, Dr. Becraft wrote several studies on ore deposits. He received the Interior Department's Meritorious Service Award in 1972.
George Earle Becraft was a native of Sedro-Woolley, Wash., and received undergraduate and master's degrees in geology from Washington State University. He received a doctorate in geology from the University of Washington in 1959. During World War II, he was a bomber pilot in the Army Air Forces and received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
He was a past president of the Association of Earth Science Editors.
He moved to Florida from Reston in 1988.
His first wife, the former Mary Houser, died in 1983.
Survivors include his wife of 11 years, Sharon Hollis of Homosassa, Fla.; four children from his first marriage, Craig Becraft of Poolesville, Eric Becraft of Newport News, Bruce Becraft of Mount Airy and Karen Foard of Sterling; three stepchildren, Kim Morin of Homosassa, Keith Sheppard of Richmond and Karen Fuss of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; 12 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
\emdash Megan Buerger
Parents
Father: Charles Earl Becraft 1
Mother: Ida Mae Pruitt 3
Spouses and Children
1. *Mary Houser
Marriage:
Status:
Children:
1. Eric Becraft
2. Craig Becraft
3. Bruce Becraft
4. Karen Becraft
2. Sharon Hollis
Sources
1. rangers_rainbow@msn.com, Eric Nelson's Family Genealogy (rootsweb.com).
2. rangers_rainbow@msn.com, Eric Nelson's Family Genealogy (rootsweb.com), after 1915. .... Sarah Hunt, Cohen Stancyk Family Tree (Published on Ancestry.com).
3. rangers_rainbow@msn.com, Eric Nelson's Family Genealogy (rootsweb.com). .... Ancestor.com, Washington State Birth Index, 1907-1919 [database] (Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2002. Original data: Washington Department of Health. Washington State Births 1907-1919. Washington: Department of Health, 19--.) .... Sarah Hunt, Cohen Stancyk Family Tree (Published on Ancestry.com).