Remembering Caleb Scheer

[GerryK]

   Five years ago today, we lost a beloved friend of the Fossil Forum, Caleb Scheer. It was a sad day when his father, Al, "Roadcut1", informed the Forum that he died. Caleb was very knowledgeable in the Ordovician trilobites of the Midwest. He took this knowledge to create the website "Midwest Paleo" that illustrates some exquisite trilobites from the Ordovician in the Midwest. On the Forum he would make over a thousand posts, making comments, helping identify fossils and posting pictures of the fossils he collected, especially trilobites. His avatar is a beautiful coiled Cybeloides iowensis he collected from the Maquoketa formation.

 

Last year after MAPS, I visited Al to do some field work collecting Ordovician trilobites. While there, we visited the cemetery where Caleb is. On his head stone, the family had the image of a Ceraurus trilobite put on it. An appropriate way to remember his love of trilobites.

  I am currently working with two others on the revision of Ceraurus. We will be honoring Caleb by describing and naming a new species of Ceraurus after him that he collected from the Mifflin Member of the Platteville Formation.

 

[old bones]

Lovely. How very appropriate. 

[Fossildude19]

What a fitting tribute to a man who, although I never met him in person, seemed to be a friend to everyone he met. 

Thanks for posting this, Gerry. 

 

Rest in peace, Caleb. You are missed.

[Al Tahan]

This is really something special. Very nice Gerry. It seems Caleb has left his mark on this world. Fitting tribute and I can only hope to leave such a great legacy someday. 

[The Amateur Paleontologist]

A very nice tribute to him, Gerry. I never had the pleasure of meeting him, but he seemed like someone very nice and knowledgeable.

Rest in peace, Caleb.

-Christian 

[minnbuckeye]

Though I had only a few instances where I had the pleasure of hunting with Caleb, I felt that he had been a friend forever. A very warm, kind, and helping man. His enthusiasm for paleontology was unbelievable. If only we could turn back the hands of time. Unfortunately we can't, so instead, we must treasure the memories of a wonderful person. There can be no better image placed on his headstone representing and  honoring him than an Ordovician Ceraurus trilobite. 

 

Mike 

[FossilDAWG]

Gerry, it's great that you are able to honor Caleb this way.  Thank you.

 

I still get choked up when I think of Caleb's untimely passing.  It seems so outrageously unfair.

 

Don

[digit]

2 hours ago, GerryK said:

We will be honoring Caleb by describing and naming a new species of Ceraurus after him that he collected from the Mifflin Member of the Platteville Formation.

What a great way to remember someone who was passionate about trilobites.

 

He is missed here.

 

-Ken

[jpc]

I agree with Ken and all the others.  I had the chance to meet him and his dad.  Both good human beings.  

[Tidgy's Dad]

I still read through many of Caleb's old threads here, very useful to me in my Ordovician researches. 

A fitting tribute to someone I'm very sorry never to have had the honour of interacting with.

[RCFossils]

What a great tribute to honor Caleb's contributions to the field that we all love.

I only met Caleb a few times but he was always happy to answer questions and identify specimens.

As others have stated, I still enjoy reading over his posts.