In 1999 a group of Beloiters plus Martha decided they should do something about honoring Roy Chapman Andrews. He was born in Beloit Wisconsin, graduated from Beloit college and started his career for a museum in New York. He had an interesting life traveling the world as an explorer for the museum of Natural History in New York. He started employment for them sweeping floors and helping taxidermy. That was 1906. By 1934 he was director of the museum.
He made many journeys to the Gobi Desert. He is credited for discovering that dinosaurs laid eggs. His adventures and narrow escapes from death along with his fear of snakes gave inspiration for Indiana Jones. You can read about these things in the book Dragon Hunter.
Martha worked diligently in the pursuit of this society. As a result i got to have drinks and dinner with many of the winners of the award over the years. I’ll never forget Robert Ballard who found the Titanic. Thee were so many others.
The other day i ran across a name from the past. it was actually on the Antiques Roadshow while I was at the gym. It was Bessica Raiche. Of course you have no idea who this was. She was born in Beloit Wisconsin, grew up in Rockford Illinois and became a doctor and a dentist. However, her claim to fame is, she was the first woman to fly an airplane. I would imagine if Martha was still with us she would be working to bring the knowledge of this woman to everyone.
She was just that way
