1936-1985
Don Good was born in Carman, Illinois, on February 6, 1936. He was always interested in fossils, growing up across the Mississippi River from Burlington, Iowa. He was teaching at a school in Dallas City, Illinois in 1956 when he took students on a fieldtrip and coincidentally met State Geologist Wilson who was at the same place planning a trip. Their conversation got Don hooked on fossil collecting. He joined the rock club in Burlington, Iowa, and became especially interested in crinoids. He did a Master’s degree at the University of South Dakota, with Harrell Strimple of the University of Iowa as his advisor. Don was one of the founding members of the Mid America Paleontology Society which began with a meeting at Augustana, of 23 people from 3 states. He married Jo Ann Lopp in 1955 and they had six children, one of whom inherited Don’s love of fossils and is a paleontology professor at West Chester University, Pennsylvania. During his lifetime Don started many clubs including the Edwards River Science Club, Geodeland and the Carthage Club, he died in 1985.