Prof. ROBERT CROSS

NOTE: See many of Prof. Cross' extensive fossil collection, below his biography.

TEACHER, INSPIRATION AND FRIEND

Prof. Robert "Bob" Cross taught Geology at San Jacinto College-North Campus from 1965 through 1989. While at San Jac, Bob taught not only Geology, but also many remedial courses, such as Math, Geography, Chemistry and others.

He has done extensive work with the Paleontology Section of Houston Gem & Mineral Section (HGMS herein) for many years. Bob has also been active with the Clear Lake Gem & Mineral Society in recent years and put before them many excellent programs.

Bob Cross has been on the board of the Proctor Museum of Natural Science (PMNS). He served as President of the PMNS several times over the years.

The amazing thing about Bob Cross is #1 his generosity of his time, knowledge and willingness to help other people; and #2 his management of physical impairments which would have stopped most of us mortals, long ago. Prof. Cross has gone through more painful medical conditions and procedure in his lifetime than one would wish upon one's worst enemy, but he remains his cheerful self, in spite of it all. We wish him well and our prayers are with him in his precarious condition.

Prof. Robert Cross was one of the earliest supporters and benefactors of the PMNS herein. He has donated his time, experience and some resources to help us have a better museum. Bob is again this year serving on the PMNS Board of Directors as he has for many years and again this year. We are happy to have this wonderful fellow as one of our esteemed members.

Bob had a B.S. Degree in Geology from Wesleyan University and an M.S. Degree in Geology from Louisiana State University. He had credits in 10 institutions of higher learning. Bob was born of an American Consulate official father and an Irish mother. Bob was married to Elizabeth (Petty) Cross, who was born in Scotland. They had three children, Elizabeth, Ruth and Robert H. Cross, Jr. Elizabeth died a few years back, while Bob was teaching at San Jac. Bob served in WWII with the United States Air Force Signal Corps (the air force was at that time a branch of the the Army and did not become a separate branch of the service until Gen. Hap Arnold went to bat after WWII to have it made a separate branch of the service). While in the service, Bob was in Australia, New Guinea and the Philippines in 1941.

Bob was well traveled, having been in many countries, including those during his WWII service plus: Portugal, East Africa, South Africa, Spain, Sicily (part of Italy), continental Italy, Aden (a former British protectorate), England, Ireland, France, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and many others.

Prof. Cross has won awards on his articles written for the Houston Gem & Mineral Society's "Backbenders Gazette", now edited by Phyllis George. He won First place in the South Central Federation of Mineral Societies and Fourth place in the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies contests respectively, for his article on Fluorescent Minerals.

Now for the good stuff. Prof. Cross, several years back, asked that the PMNS Curator, Terry Proctor, use his new eArt Scanning method to scan some of Prof. Cross's fossils. Terry was happy to do so in return for all the support which Prof. Cross had provided to the PMNS.

Therefore, it is our privilege at this time to provide the eArt Scans of Prof. Robert Cross's fossils for you to enjoy. Most do not have full identification at this time, but those will be supplied over a period of some time as we update this site.


Exterior of Crinoid showing Calyx and arms Indiana	Interior of Crinoid showing Calyx, arms, feeding cilia and excretion tube A brittlestar is at the base Indiana	Crinoids (Sea Lilies)-1.Cyathocrinites parvibrachiatatus; 2. Cyathocrinites multibrachiatus; 3. Pltycrinites brevinodus Crawfordsville, Indiana?? Mississippian (330 MYA)??

Aspidorhynchus dospotoni (baby) Adults are up to 3' from unknown location	Dapedium ceara Chapada do Aripa, Brazil Cretaceous	Frog Lai-Yang, Lainyang, Linqu Shandoug Province, China Middle Miocene

Lobster Pseudostacus hakalensis Lebanon Cretaceous	Ray fish Cyclobatis major Hakel, Lebanon Cretaceous	Salamander Andreas sp. Germany Miocene

Amphibians Letoverppeton austriacum Bacov, Czechoslovakia Permian	Seahorse Hippocampus ramulosis Marecchia, Italy Lower Mississippian	Trilobites, Homotelus bromdensis from Carter County, Oklahoma Ordovician