Dr. Alan Chase Donaldson, a pillar of the community and devoted husband/father/grandfather, died peacefully at home on June 9, 2021. He was born in Northampton, Mass., on Oct. 23, 1929, to Ralph Wilfred and Lila Elizabeth Chase Donaldson. Alan attended preparatory school at Deerfield Academy, received his bachelor’s degree from Amherst College, his master’s degree from University of Massachusetts and his doctorate in geology from Penn State University. Alan joined West Virginia University faculty in 1957 as a geology professor. He served 24 years as chairman of the geology and geography department at WVU from 1971 to 1995. Alan knew from a young age that he wanted to teach and credited his “geology genes” to previous generations of scientists. He felt his long tenure was a privilege to pursue his passion.
In 1995, Alan was awarded the Distinguished West Virginia Award for outstanding achievement and meritorious service by Gov. Gaston Caperton. The Distinguished West Virginian Award, which honors a citizen’s service to West Virginia, is the highest award that can be presented to a citizen by the governor. That same year, he was recipient of the I.C. White Memorial Award from the Eastern Section of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) for his outstanding contributions to the geologic knowledge of sedimentary rocks in the Appalachian Basin. He was recognized by the Eastern Section of AAPG as the 1989 Outstanding Educator, written by Dr. Robert Shumaker for being an excellent teacher at both the introductory and advanced teaching levels. After he partially retired in 1995, he continued to teach geology classes as professor emeritus for the next 10 years until 2005, as well as organized and taught seminars/courses for the energy and environmental industries, commonly with support from other geologists.
He supervised 14 Ph.D. and 70 M.S./M.A. graduates, and these bonding experiences rank with the highest highlights of his career. He published over
50 papers, largely related to sedimentation and sedimentary rocks. His national reputation in research led to him being invited to the prestigious Geological Society of America’s Centenary Volumes on a Decade of North American Geology.
Alan impacted countless lives academically, where he helped advance the careers of his students and faculty, many who went on to become successful in academia, government and industry. He inspired and transformed individuals from all over the world. A people-oriented person, he was respected for his mentorship abilities, optimism, high energy and creative way he pushed the “multiple working hypotheses.” His leadership always brought out the best in people.
He met the love of his life, Ruth Ellen Rapp, at Penn State University during a get-acquainted dance, shared a short engagement, married in 1957 at State College, Pa., then moved to Morgantown that same year. They shared the adventure of their lives together for the next 64 years, enjoying dancing, traveling, museums and performing arts concerts. A handwritten Post-it from Alan to Ruth on their 43rd wedding anniversary remains on the mirror at their home with the words, “I now love more of you and less of me. And that’s the way it’s supposed to be.”
Always a natural athlete, Alan forged long-lasting friendships playing healthy competitive matches in tennis and other sports, and he cherished those relationships immensely.
He was led by his faith in everything he did, and as a member of the First Presbyterian Church, he served as Elder, Stephen Minister, and organizer of “Pancake Breakfast” for the homeless with enthusiasm and fervor. For a period, he was a lay preacher at the Sugar Grove and Canyon churches. He and his wife taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible Camp and adult education classes. He believed that teamwork with his wife or at the office produced “2 + 2 = 5.”
Alan enjoyed living in Morgantown as well as serving the local community and was an active member of the Morgantown Planning Commission, Morgantown Ward and Boundary Commission and neighborhood associations. He led an initiative with the Burrough’s Run Neighborhood Association to mitigate the flash flooding caused by the July 1996 storm. He identified the water issues and presented stormwater management solutions to the Morgantown community. Without his efforts, many homeowners would have had disastrous and continuous water damage.
Alan is survived by his wife, Ruth; his four children: Deborah Donaldson Shumaker, Jennifer Donaldson Taft, Kurt Alan Donaldson and Lisa Donaldson Burtner; their spouses: Robert Shumaker Jr., Robert Taft Jr., Dr. Debra Donaldson, Dr. David Burtner; their nine grandchildren: Lila Jade Shumaker, Robert and Juliet Taft, David and Brian Donaldson, and Stephanie “Stevie”, Sabrina, Sophia Burtner, and Dr. Jessica Burtner with husband, Ahmed Islam. He is preceded in death by his dear sister, Annette Donaldson Mackenzie, and his older brother, John Donaldson, who died at age 20 in 1940.
A memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church in Morgantown at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 2, 2021, with reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alan C. Donaldson Endowed Scholarship or the Alan C. Donaldson Geology Graduate Student Scholarship announced on the website of the WVU Department of Geology and Geography at www.geo.wvu.edu; or to the First Presbyterian Church at https://www.firstpresmorgantown.org/donate in Morgantown.
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