Marion E. “Pat” Bickford passed away June 23, 2024. He was born Aug. 30, 1932, in Memphis, TN, to Marion E. and Elisabeth (Ellis) Bickford. He attended schools in Memphis until 1945, when his family moved to Winona, MN. There he attended Phelps Junior High School and Winona Senior High School, graduating in 1950. He then attended Carleton College in Northfield, MN, where he met his adored wife of 69 years, Elizabeth (Betsy) Eckey Bickford, who survives him, along with their three children, Mark Bickford (Rhonda) of Ithaca, N.Y., Martha Bickford (Perry) of Louisville, KY, John Bickford (Jennifer) of St. Paul, MN and four grandchildren, Keenan Larsen, Ellis Larsen, Zoe Bickford and Simone Bickford deNoyelles. He is also survived by his sister, Elise Jorgens of Seabrook Island, SC.
At Carleton College, Pat was elected Phi Beta Kappa and a member of Sigma Xi, graduating in 1954 with a bachelor’s degree in geology. The same year he married Betsy and served in the United States Army (1954-1957) as an electronics specialist on Nike antiaircraft missile systems. He was discharged in the rank of Sergeant First Class. Following military service, Pat attended graduate school at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana where he received a master’s degree in 1958 and a Ph.D. in 1960. His major area of study was petrology, with a minor in chemistry.
Following his graduate work, Pat taught geology at San Fernando State College, CA 1960-1964 and was a postdoctoral researcher at UCLA 1963-1964. He and his family then moved to Lawrence KS, where he was an assistant professor, associate professor and full professor at the University of Kansas 1964-1990. Pat and Betsy then moved to Cazenovia, where he served as professor and chairman of the department of geology at Syracuse University 1990-1997 and as emeritus professor from 1997 until his death.
Pat’s principal interests, other than his family, were the geological sciences. He loved teaching and treasured current and earlier contacts with his students and colleagues. He led many field trips with his geology students and was the author of more than 120 scientific articles. He served the Geological Society of America as editor for three years and as books editor for five. He received the society’s Distinguished Service Awards twice, first in 1991 and again in 2008.
Pat had a life-long interest in music. He sang in the Carleton College choir, and later in the Syracuse University Oratorio Society and the Cazenovia College Chorale. For a number of years, he studied classical guitar, although he always said, “I’m not very good.”
Pat was a life-long, committed Christian. He was raised in the Episcopal Church, in which he was very active until 2000, when he was received into the Roman Catholic Church in which he served as a lector.
Pat was a loving husband, brother, father and grandfather. He had a great sense of humor (he loved puns) and was an optimist throughout his long life. His family enjoyed many adventures with him.
Calling hours will be 3 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 30, at Newell-Fay Manlius Chapel, 8191 Cazenovia Rd., Manlius. The funeral mass will be 10:30 a.m. on Monday, July 1, at Immaculate Conception Church, 400 Salt Springs St., Fayetteville.
For guest book, please visit scheppfamily.com.
