Gerry Henderson Cabaniss ’57

Gerry Henderson Cabaniss ’57 passed away peacefully on March 5, 2009, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after battling dementia for several years. It was of great comfort to his family that he continued to recognize and talk to them until his last days. Born in Florida, Gerry called many places home. He spent most of his teen years in Denver, from which he climbed every 14,000-foot mountain in Colorado. He studied geology at Dartmouth and was active in the Dartmouth Outing Club, Mountaineering Club, Winter Carnival, Cabin & Trail and the ski team. He went on to climb Denali in Alaska, Mount Rainier in Washington and recorded first ascents up the Tetons in Wyoming. While working as a geologist for the Air Force he explored the Arctic and spent a year on an ice island off the coast of Greenland. Gerry earned advanced degrees in geology and geophysics at Boston College (M.S.) and Boston University (Ph.D.). As a geophysicist he worked on many exciting projects during the Cold War and beyond. His work allowed him to travel with his family throughout the national parks of the western United States. Gerry instilled his interest in geology and love of the mountains in his three children, who carry on the tradition of skiing and mountain climbing. After he became ill he spent a summer with his daughter climbing in Norway. Gerry is survived by his wife, Judith; children Jennifer, Paul and William; grandsons Brandon and Jack; and sister Eve.