Willard D. Klimstra (1919-1993)

Willard D. "Bill" Klimstra was born on 25 December 1919 in Erie, Illinois. His initial college education occurred at Blackburn College (A.A. 1939) and then Maryville (TN) College (B.A. 1941). In July 1942, he married Miriam Brown in Chapel Hill, NC; with pride, they raised two sons (Gene & William) and a daughter (Kay). His advanced degrees came from Iowa State University (M.S. 1948 & Ph.D. 1949 - both in Economic Zoology). He joined the faculty at Southern Illinois University in 1949 and retired from the Department of Zoology in 1984. He founded and nurtured the Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, which he directed from its inception in 1951 until he retired from the University in 1987 (the last three years he directed the CWRL while employed on a half-time basis). Dr. Klimstra inspired and directed the research of numerous students; many furthered their careers in leadership positions throughout the nation in wildlife, conservation, and land reclimation. His publications were numerous and included his research on bobwhite quail and Florida Key deer. In many ways he influenced the development of the Department and University as well as natural resource research and conservation within Illinois and the Nation. He helped draft the legislation on Illinois mined-land reclamation, the Illinois Nature Preserves System Act, and the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act. Later he served as Chair of the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission and served as a member of the Endangered Species Protection Board. He continued his work at SIUC on a part-time basis until his death on 25 February 1993 in Raleigh, North Carolina, at the age of 73 following a brief illness.

Some Awards and Recognition

1967 -- Conservationist of the Year in Illinois

1968 -- Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science

1982 -- Distinguished Achievement Award from the Iowa State University Alumni Association

1983 -- Honored as one of two scholars to be SIUC's first Distinguished Professor

1988 -- Professional Conservationist Award of the Chevron Corporation

1988 -- Also Leopold Award of The Wildlife Society

2002 -- Pioneers in Reclamation Award from the American Society of Mining and Reclamation

2005 -- Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame Class of 2005

SIUC Department of Zoology

SIUC Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory

CWRL Memorial to Dr. Klimstra

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Last updated: 3-Jul-06 / ghw