On January 4, 1923, a cold, wintry night in New Bedford, Massachusetta, Sybil Frances Odiorne gave birth to a baby boy while his father, Howard Edwin Odiorne, was stuck in a snowstorm and couldn't get across the river from Fairhaven in time. Sybil named the new child Howard Hatch, two family names. When Tom's dad found out, he swore that day that Tom would never be "Howard"- he had already lived with that name.
Tom spent a happy boyhood in New Bedford, Massachusetts, chasing all kinds of rocks and graduated from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia with a M.S. in geology. He came to Colorado in 1948 for his career which included not only heading his own oil and minerals exploration company but evaluating exploration projects, a study which tapped his expertise in stratigraphy, petroleum and reservoir engineering, economics and marketing as well as geology. Any young geologist could learn more from ‘old timer' Tom than any text book.
Tom was in the Army during WWII. [He liked to tell the story of how he was a crash boat captain in the Army's navy in the South Pacific in WWII.]
Even though Tom was a professional geologist he was proud to be known as a rock hound. It was a term he loved to hear while others in the profession regarded it as an un-classy term for a scientist. He loved amazonite, loved to dig Crystal Peak and would readily admit Ann discovered the first amazonite crystals in their collection. To Tom this stone is one of Colorado's most beautiful treasures. In 1978 he authored and had published Colorado Amazonstone The Treasure of Crystal Peak.
Tom was very generous with his hobby. He donated pieces to 47 colleges and libraries throughout the world. Tom will always be remembered, in every sense, as a world class rockbound!
Tom and his wife, Ann, became members of the Littleton Gem and Mineral Club on April 4, 1967. They were voted life members in 1983. Tom was President of the club several times as well as held other offices. Tom was instrumental in establishing the first Littleton club claim in 1972. Tom wrote many articles for the Club's Newsletter, Highlites. Tom and Ann were very involved with this club and loved rock hounding; The time together; the time with their children and the time with friends on field trips were all special times for them. Of course, finding those
'pockets' was always a treat and they found many!
There were so many things about Tom and his life. He loved rocks, shells, antiques, and people. He loved to play tricks on anyone. Tom considered April Fool's Day to be his personal National Holiday.
Later on in life, the kid's learned about Odiorne State Park in New Hampshire. The Odiorne family homestead begun in the 1600's, which was taken over during WWI for a gun replacement for the military. It now is a marine-life sanctuary.
I'm sure, Tom and Ann are together now, in their special place, looking for pretty rocks, finding pockets and making a ROCK GARDEN!
ONCE A ROCKHOUND ALWAYS A ROCKHOUND
Written by Tom's son with little editing
Tom spent a happy boyhood in New Bedford, Massachusetts, chasing all kinds of rocks and graduated from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia with a M.S. in geology. He came to Colorado in 1948 for his career which included not only heading his own oil and minerals exploration company but evaluating exploration projects, a study which tapped his expertise in stratigraphy, petroleum and reservoir engineering, economics and marketing as well as geology. Any young geologist could learn more from ‘old timer' Tom than any text book.
Tom was in the Army during WWII. [He liked to tell the story of how he was a crash boat captain in the Army's navy in the South Pacific in WWII.]
Even though Tom was a professional geologist he was proud to be known as a rock hound. It was a term he loved to hear while others in the profession regarded it as an un-classy term for a scientist. He loved amazonite, loved to dig Crystal Peak and would readily admit Ann discovered the first amazonite crystals in their collection. To Tom this stone is one of Colorado's most beautiful treasures. In 1978 he authored and had published Colorado Amazonstone The Treasure of Crystal Peak.
Tom was very generous with his hobby. He donated pieces to 47 colleges and libraries throughout the world. Tom will always be remembered, in every sense, as a world class rockbound!
Tom and his wife, Ann, became members of the Littleton Gem and Mineral Club on April 4, 1967. They were voted life members in 1983. Tom was President of the club several times as well as held other offices. Tom was instrumental in establishing the first Littleton club claim in 1972. Tom wrote many articles for the Club's Newsletter, Highlites. Tom and Ann were very involved with this club and loved rock hounding; The time together; the time with their children and the time with friends on field trips were all special times for them. Of course, finding those
'pockets' was always a treat and they found many!
There were so many things about Tom and his life. He loved rocks, shells, antiques, and people. He loved to play tricks on anyone. Tom considered April Fool's Day to be his personal National Holiday.
Later on in life, the kid's learned about Odiorne State Park in New Hampshire. The Odiorne family homestead begun in the 1600's, which was taken over during WWI for a gun replacement for the military. It now is a marine-life sanctuary.
I'm sure, Tom and Ann are together now, in their special place, looking for pretty rocks, finding pockets and making a ROCK GARDEN!
ONCE A ROCKHOUND ALWAYS A ROCKHOUND
Written by Tom's son with little editing
On January 4, 1923, a cold, wintry night in New Bedford, Massachusetta, Sybil Frances Odiorne gave birth to a baby boy while his father, Howard Edwin Odiorne, was stuck in a snowstorm and couldn't get across the river from Fairhaven in time. Sybil named the new child Howard Hatch, two family names. When Tom's dad found out, he swore that day that Tom would never be "Howard"- he had already lived with that name.
Tom spent a happy boyhood in New Bedford, Massachusetts, chasing all kinds of rocks and graduated from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia with a M.S. in geology. He came to Colorado in 1948 for his career which included not only heading his own oil and minerals exploration company but evaluating exploration projects, a study which tapped his expertise in stratigraphy, petroleum and reservoir engineering, economics and marketing as well as geology. Any young geologist could learn more from ‘old timer' Tom than any text book.
Tom was in the Army during WWII. [He liked to tell the story of how he was a crash boat captain in the Army's navy in the South Pacific in WWII.]
Even though Tom was a professional geologist he was proud to be known as a rock hound. It was a term he loved to hear while others in the profession regarded it as an un-classy term for a scientist. He loved amazonite, loved to dig Crystal Peak and would readily admit Ann discovered the first amazonite crystals in their collection. To Tom this stone is one of Colorado's most beautiful treasures. In 1978 he authored and had published Colorado Amazonstone The Treasure of Crystal Peak.
Tom was very generous with his hobby. He donated pieces to 47 colleges and libraries throughout the world. Tom will always be remembered, in every sense, as a world class rockbound!
Tom and his wife, Ann, became members of the Littleton Gem and Mineral Club on April 4, 1967. They were voted life members in 1983. Tom was President of the club several times as well as held other offices. Tom was instrumental in establishing the first Littleton club claim in 1972. Tom wrote many articles for the Club's Newsletter, Highlites. Tom and Ann were very involved with this club and loved rock hounding; The time together; the time with their children and the time with friends on field trips were all special times for them. Of course, finding those
'pockets' was always a treat and they found many!
There were so many things about Tom and his life. He loved rocks, shells, antiques, and people. He loved to play tricks on anyone. Tom considered April Fool's Day to be his personal National Holiday.
Later on in life, the kid's learned about Odiorne State Park in New Hampshire. The Odiorne family homestead begun in the 1600's, which was taken over during WWI for a gun replacement for the military. It now is a marine-life sanctuary.
I'm sure, Tom and Ann are together now, in their special place, looking for pretty rocks, finding pockets and making a ROCK GARDEN!
ONCE A ROCKHOUND ALWAYS A ROCKHOUND
Written by Tom's son with little editing
Tom spent a happy boyhood in New Bedford, Massachusetts, chasing all kinds of rocks and graduated from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia with a M.S. in geology. He came to Colorado in 1948 for his career which included not only heading his own oil and minerals exploration company but evaluating exploration projects, a study which tapped his expertise in stratigraphy, petroleum and reservoir engineering, economics and marketing as well as geology. Any young geologist could learn more from ‘old timer' Tom than any text book.
Tom was in the Army during WWII. [He liked to tell the story of how he was a crash boat captain in the Army's navy in the South Pacific in WWII.]
Even though Tom was a professional geologist he was proud to be known as a rock hound. It was a term he loved to hear while others in the profession regarded it as an un-classy term for a scientist. He loved amazonite, loved to dig Crystal Peak and would readily admit Ann discovered the first amazonite crystals in their collection. To Tom this stone is one of Colorado's most beautiful treasures. In 1978 he authored and had published Colorado Amazonstone The Treasure of Crystal Peak.
Tom was very generous with his hobby. He donated pieces to 47 colleges and libraries throughout the world. Tom will always be remembered, in every sense, as a world class rockbound!
Tom and his wife, Ann, became members of the Littleton Gem and Mineral Club on April 4, 1967. They were voted life members in 1983. Tom was President of the club several times as well as held other offices. Tom was instrumental in establishing the first Littleton club claim in 1972. Tom wrote many articles for the Club's Newsletter, Highlites. Tom and Ann were very involved with this club and loved rock hounding; The time together; the time with their children and the time with friends on field trips were all special times for them. Of course, finding those
'pockets' was always a treat and they found many!
There were so many things about Tom and his life. He loved rocks, shells, antiques, and people. He loved to play tricks on anyone. Tom considered April Fool's Day to be his personal National Holiday.
Later on in life, the kid's learned about Odiorne State Park in New Hampshire. The Odiorne family homestead begun in the 1600's, which was taken over during WWI for a gun replacement for the military. It now is a marine-life sanctuary.
I'm sure, Tom and Ann are together now, in their special place, looking for pretty rocks, finding pockets and making a ROCK GARDEN!
ONCE A ROCKHOUND ALWAYS A ROCKHOUND
Written by Tom's son with little editing
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