Carol Ann of Merriam, Kansas, Joan of Lea-
wood, Kansas and Katherine of Colorado
Springs.
From 1949 until 1952, Dick worked for the
Kansas Sample Log Service. In 1952, Dick be-
came an Independent Geologist and remained
one until his death. During his days as an inde-
pendent, Dick had the distinction of being the
wellsite geologist on the discovery well of the
Pleasant Prairie Field in Haskell County. One
of the real pleasures of Dick's life and of which
he was justifiably proud was his mentoring of
seven young men as they were entering the field
and becoming wellsite geologists.
Dick served the Kansas Geological Society
as: Secretary- Treasurer, Vice President, and
President In 1993, he was presented a well-
deserved Honorary membership. Dick has also
served on the Board of the Kansas Geological
Foundation and was a charter member of the
Advisory Council to the Department of Geology
at Kansas State University. Dick was a long-
time member of the American Association of
Petroleum Geologists. He has served his
church, Grace Presbyterian and has also actively
worked for Habitat for Humanity and Mennon-
ite Housing Authority.
He truly was outstanding in his profession
and as a friend. He will be deeply missed by
all.
Memorials have been established with the
Kansas Geological Foundation, 212 No. Market,
Wichita, KS 67202 and Grace Presbyterian
Church , 5002 E. Douglas Ave., Wichita, KS
67208
The industry and the profession lost a fine
gentleman and a "true professional" with the
death of Richard (Dick) Roby on March 2,
2004.
Dick was born in 1923 and his early life
was spent on a farm near Eureka, Kansas. He
was the fifth of six children in a family whose
grandparents had been pioneers in the settling
of Greenwood County, Kansas.
Dick's family moved to a farm near Reece,
Kansas while Dick was still in grade school.
Dick graduated from Reece High School in
1940. After graduation Dick farmed for one
year before moving to Wichita to work at Boe-
ing.
After the start of World War II, he joined
the Air Force Cadet program in 1942. After
completion of this program he served as an in-
structor at several different sites and later re-
ceived training as a pilot in B-17's and B-29's.
He was discharged from the Air Force at Ros-
well, New Mexico in 1945.
In January 1946 he enrolled in engineering
at Kansas State, but later switched to geology
and graduated in 1949 with a degree in Physi-
cal Science, geology major. While at K-State,
Dick had located the girl that he wanted to
marry, Carolyn Voran. They had met in an
algebra class and in the Spring of 1949 they
were married. To this union were born four