Obituary and biography of Stephen Lory Williams (1948-2018).
Excerpts:
His move in 1990 returned him to Texas Tech University, taking up positions as Collection Manager in the Museum, and Adjunct Professor in the Museum Science Program. His final professional move was made in 1995 to the Department of Museum Studies at the Strecker Museum now known as the Mayborn Museum Complex at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he took positions as Assistant Professor and Collections Manager. Steve retired from Baylor in 2007.
Steve was present at the birth of the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections, serving as one of the seven founding members who met at the Buffalo Museum of Science on November 6, 1985. He was one of three members of the original Election Committee. Steve went on to hold the offices of Council Member (1987-1988), President-Elect (1988-1990), President (1990-1992), and Past-President (1992-1994). In 1999, Steve received the SPNHC President’s Award for exceptional service to the organization.
Steve was an active researcher and writer, authoring 134 publications. Early in his career his publications primarily concerned mammals, much of it based on extensive field work. ... Foreshadowing Steve’s later shift to work in management and preventive conservation, in 1977 he coauthored “A guide to the management of Recent mammal collections,” which brought together for the first time the techniques and materials used in the management of these collections