Norman Archie Radford, 85
Norman Archie Radford, 85
Norman Archie Radford, known as Norm to friends, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017. He was 85 years old. Norman was born in Spokane, Wash., on Aug. 10, 1932, to Archie Radford and Lillie (Bowman) Radford; he was their only child. Until his passing, he lived at his Osburn, Idaho, residence with family.
Norman was raised and graduated from high school in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He discovered at a young age his love of geology, archeology and mineralogy, and he began collecting minerals. He attended the Colorado School of Mines and the University of Idaho. At the University of Idaho, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in geological engineering in 1955.
After graduation, he began his career as an exploration geologist, finding a uranium deposit in Washington state that would eventually be mined by a subsidiary of the Phelps Dodge Mining Company and would be known as the Sherwood Mine. His career was interrupted by the draft in November 1955 during the Korean War. He served as a geodetic surveyor in the Army Corps of Engineers stationed at the Presidio in San Francisco. He married Janet Moser in February 1956. His son, Gordon, was born in the Army military hospital.
After discharge from the Army, he went to work for the city of Coeur d’Alene and the Idaho State Highway Department in engineering functions. His son, Larry, was born in Coeur d’Alene. His mining career restarted in 1961 at the Black Pine Mine in Phillipsburg, Mont. The mine quickly ran out of ore, and he went to work for the Montana Highway Department in Helena as an engineering geologist. His daughter, Louanne, was born in Helena.
In 1965, he became a geologist for the Bunker Hill Mining Company, where he worked for more than 16 years. He continued to collect minerals, collecting beautiful specimens from Bunker Hill, as well as other mines and districts. His wife, Janet (Moser) Radford, preceded him in death in 1966. When the Bunker Hill and Crescent mines closed in 1982, he remained for months with crews mining world-class pyromorphite minerals. His father and mother passed away in 1983 and 1989, respectively. After Bunker Hill, he became a consultant for the Coeur d’Alene Mines Corporation (now Coeur). Concurrent with his employment with Coeur, he opened the Silver Capital Arts and Wallace Wine Cellar in a beautiful Victorian building in Wallace, Idaho; the store featured his impressive mineral collection.
From 1985 forward, he continued consulting in the mining industry, including consulting for Gold Finders Exploration; he was coaching geologists in the logging of core from the Crescent Mine when he suffered a stroke in 2010. He served as a board member of the General Moly Corporation from 2002 to 2008.
Norman was active in the community, through participation and leadership in Lions, Toastmasters and numerous other organizations. In 2011, he was recognized for his community service in the Silver Valley as a recipient of the Justin L. Rice award.
From 1971-1978, he was a member of the Idaho State Board of Registration for Professional Geologists. He served as chairman for three years. He helped write the licensing exam; as such, he was also one of the first to take the exam, and his professional geologist stamp is No. 5. He was active in the Society of Mining Engineers, chairing both the Coeur d’Alene and Columbia sections. He wrote articles for the Society of Mining Engineers (AIME) magazine and the Mineralogical Record.
He loved the outdoors: hunting, fly-fishing, skiing and making wine. His love for mineralogy never ended. He continued to trade minerals on the internet after health issues precluded leaving his home.
He is survived by three children, Gordon and Terri Radford in Hayden, Idaho, Larry and Claire Radford in Coeur d’Alene, and Ron and Louanne Hood in Osburn; five grandchildren, Bonnie, Mallory, Matthew, Molly and Devin; two great-grandchildren, Austin and Cheyenne; and by his dear friend, Bea Roope, of Coeur d’Alene.
A memorial service will be held from 3-6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, 2017, at the Lake City Center, 1916 N. Lakewood Drive, Coeur d’Alene.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Osburn Lions Club, P.O. Box 483, Osburn, ID 83849; or the Hospice of North Idaho Schneidmiller Hospice House, 2290 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815.