58
SUMMER 2021 WEBB MAGA ZINE
THE WEBB SCHOOLS webb.org
webbtodayGIVING THE WEBB SCHOOLS
THE DONALD L. LOFGREN ENDOWED DIRECTOR’S CHAIR AT THE RAYMOND M. ALF MUSEUM OF PALEONTOLOGY
A master teacher filled with curiosity, character and a lifetime of dedicated service to The Webb Schools and Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology IT’S A DESCRIPTION that applies not only to Ray Alf, but also to Dr. Donald L. “Doc” Lofgren, the beloved museum director who stepped into a new role as director emeritus earlier this year. Lofgren’s leadership has been so noteworthy that it is hard to measure in singular achievements. The world-class, nationally accredited, fully renovated, one-of-a-kind museum on a high school campus is a testament to his hard work. Hundreds of loyal alumni and friends return year after year for Peccary Trips to Barstow and around the world to hunt for “MQ” (aka museum quality) fossils and sing the Peccary song around the campfire. Not surprisingly, Lofgren’s transition from the directorship to his accomplished successor, Dr. Andrew Farke, sparked a wave of appreciation and a desire for recognition from museum loyalists. One such example is Dr. Kenneth J. De Nault ’61. De Nault is an emeritus professor of geology at the University of Northern Iowa, a former student of Ray Alf and a devoted supporter of the Alf Museum.
vote was passed by the Alf Museum board to accept De Nault’s leadership gift to start the fund. Ashton and Millar were the next two contributors. Sherwood Kingsley ’58, a life trustee of the Alf Museum, was quick to follow. “This fund in Don’s honor is both a fitting tribute to a worldclass paleontologist and great friend as it is an important step in the evolution of the Alf Museum and its ability to be self-sustaining,” Ashton said. The Donald L. Lofgren Endowed Director’s Chair at the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology is now accepting contributions from alumni, parents and friends who wish to honor Lofgren and his distinguished service over the last three decades. Your support will help secure the museum’s future and provide revenue in perpetuity. Funds received will be included and recognized in The Next 100: The Centennial Campaign. To make a gift, please contact Danielle Gordon, dgordon@webb.org, (909) 482-5267.
Working with such notable leadership volunteers as museum Board of Trustees Chair R. Larry Ashton Jr. ’70 and Webb trustee Roger Millar ’61, De Nault proposed to endow the directorship of the museum in Lofgren’s honor. Taylor Stockdale embraced the idea immediately, and a unanimous Don Lofgren with alumni during Alumni Weekend 2018
