Colin George Vucetich (1918–2007)—pioneering New Zealand tephrochronologist

Abstract

Many Quaternarists, tephrochronologists, and soil scientists mourned the passing in New Zealand of Colin Vucetich—gentle mentor, pedologist, and pioneering tephrochronologist—on 25 April (Anzac Day), 2007. Colin was in his 89th year. As well as forming a 25-year partnership with W.A. “Alan” Pullar, with whom he published three classic papers on tephrostratigraphy based on field work undertaken by the pair largely in their own time, Colin inspired and mentored numerous postgraduates in his later career as an academic at Victoria University of Wellington. There he taught pedology, soil stratigraphy, and tephrochronology until his retirement as Reader (Associate Professor) in 1982. In retirement he was an honorary lecturer and supervisor at Massey University (Palmerston North) until 1991 (Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3).