Roger Hunt Hemion

Roger Hunt Hemion passed away on August 16, 1998. Born in Kearney, New Jersey on September 18, 1911, his education included an undergraduate degree from Iowa State University (mechanical engineering), a Master's in automotive engineering at Chrysler Institute and work toward a doctorate at the University of Michigan. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he took courses in archaeology at The University of Texas at San Antonio. He served in the United States Army from 1937-1964, retiring with the rank of Colonel. Later, he worked as a research scientist for Southwest Research Institute, retiring in 1974.

Roger was an early member of the Southern Texas Archaeological Association [ST AA], joining in 1977. He became heavily involved in the work of the STAA, and did an outstanding job as its Secretary, serving for a decade (1979-1989). He also served as Mailing Chairman for several years in the early '90s. He and his wife, Marge, wrestled with the many heavy bundles of La Tierra and the Newsletter, getting them in the mail in record time. Roger authored two papers for La Tierra in 1980, analyzing arrow points and selected ground stone artifacts from the Bromley F. Cooper Collection.
            .
I had the pleasure of working with him when he enrolled as a graduate student in the 1977 UTSA summer field school held at the S1. Mary's Hall site (41BX229). During this field school, he worked not only at S1. Mary's Hall, but also assisted the late Jules Jaquier in test excavations at the Panther Springs Creek site (41BX228).

Aside from his long stint as ST AA Secretary, Roger is best known for his Field and Laboratory Handbook, published initially in 1983 as Special Publication No.2 of the ST AA. It was published in a revised edition in 1988. This is a unique publication that, though only 86 pages long in the 1988 edition, provided guidelines for field archaeology, follow-up laboratory analysis, report preparation, oral presentations at meetings, and a series of highly useful appendices, including a paper on plane table mapping contributed by Kenneth M. Brown. It is a "user-friendly" guidebook, still in print and available through STAA. The Handbook has been a valuable supplement required for students on a number of my university field schools.

It is unfortunate that Mr. Hemion's declining health and worsening eyesight in the 1990s kept him from interacting with newer members of the STAA. He was a stalwart in this organization and it is clear that his involvement played an important role in the growth and maturation of the STAA.

Thomas R. Hester