Thank you, Bill Steele, for saying that about Don Broussard. He was a tough old caver, but such a sweet guy.
*William R. (Bill) Elliott* *[email protected] <[email protected]>* 573-291-5093 cell On Mon, May 20, 2019 at 5:33 PM Bill Steele <[email protected]> wrote: > I first met Don Broussard in the fall of 1971 as I passed through Austin > on my way to Mexico. That was almost forty-eight years ago. He was two > months to the day older than me, something I mentioned many times. My older > friend. Don and I did a lot of caving together. > > It wasn’t just caving, either. Don was an active member of The Explorers > Club. He joined in 1984 and was made a fellow upon joining. That’s a great > honor. It says that you have made a lasting contribution to some realm of > exploration. He already had, 35 years ago. > > Don had the greatest tenure in caving at Sistema Huautla. He first went > there in 1969 and the last time was in 2018. He was on some epic trips. He > was there when we started the climb up to Anthodite Hall. He was there when > we discovered the Lower Gorge of Sotano de San Agustin. He was trapped > underground 500 meters deep with us in that same cave for four days in 1977 > and had run out of insulin. He was there in 1987 when we connected Nita > Nanta to Sistema Huautla, making it the world’s second deepest cave at the > time. Maybe “he was there” sums it up. More often than not, Don was there. > > In Texas Don was a mainstay in the exploration of our longest cave, Honey > Creek Cave. And our third longest cave, whose name I shall not mention by > request of the landowner, Don camped on the surface there last month while > cave divers camped underground, far from the entrance, knowing Don was in > support on the surface. He was always to be counted on. And he did so > calmly with a smile. > > C. William "Bill" Steele > 500 Kingston Drive > Irving, Texas 75061 USA > [email protected] > [email protected] > cell 214-770-4712 > > > On Mon, May 20, 2019 at 5:05 PM William R. Elliott <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> *Don Broussard* >> >> August 17, 1948 – May 16?, 2019 >> >> Famous caver, Don Broussard, from the Austin, Texas area, passed away >> probably on Thursday, May 16. His close friend, David Honea, had visited >> Don May 6-10, and they usually spoke on the phone on Sundays, but David >> could not reach Don on May 19. Nancy Weaver was asked to check on him, and >> she found him deceased in his home between Wimberley and Driftwood, Texas. >> The cause is not known at this time. Don was diabetic, but he was in good >> health lately. >> >> Don was an active caver who went on many hard caving trips from about >> 1967 through the 1990s. He continued to be part of the support crew for >> major expeditions to Huautla and other destinations until recently. Don was >> always cheerful and helpful. His trademark was to walk up and say “Good >> morning!” even if it was late at night. Everyone noticed how unassuming, >> modest, and quiet he was. His good friend, John Fish, said, “Don was a >> faithful helper, a faithful friend.” >> >> Don and David Honea were friends in Houston schools from 1st through 12th >> grade. Don went to the University of Arkansas, where he started caving, >> then to the University of Texas, where he joined the UT Grotto caving club. >> He, David, and Bill Elliott were caver pals and roommates in 1968-1969. In >> the summer of 1969 Don worked with Bill Elliott and Jim McIntire in the >> Sierra de El Abra, mapping and making cavefish collections in many caves >> for Robert W. Mitchell’s cavefish research. After that he worked for John >> Fish from 1971-1973 in the El Abra as part of John’s dissertation work on >> hydrogeology. Most of Don’s work in the El Abra is documented in AMCS >> Bulletin 14 by John Fish, Karst Hydrology of the Sierra de El Abra, Mexico >> (2004) and AMCS Bulletin 26 by Bill Elliott, The Astyanax Caves of Mexico >> (2018). Don was declared the “King of the El Abra” because he went in more >> caves for science and mapping than anyone else. Friends presented him with >> a free copy of the cavefish bulletin in 2018 and had a lunch in his honor. >> >> Peter Sprouse said, “The passing of the first generation of AMCS cavers, >> those who were active in the 1960s, continues with the loss of Don >> Broussard. Don was very involved in the exploration of the Sierra de El >> Abra and Aquismón in San Luis Potosí in his early caving years. In the >> 1980s Don led efforts to explore and survey the Crevice in the deepest part >> of Sótano de las Golondrinas. Has was also active in explorations in the >> Huautla area of Oaxaca and the Purificación karst of Tamaulipas. ¡Vaya con >> Oztotl, Don!” >> >> John Fish remembers the time when he and Don returned to Ciudad Valles >> after a crawlway trip in Sótano de la Tinaja. They emerged covered in mud. >> When they returned to their rented room Don walked straight to the concrete >> shower stall and proceeded to wash down his muddy clothes before stripping >> and scrubbing himself down to the skin. That way he got all the mud off in >> one session. >> >> Bill Elliott is working on an index to Don’s name in all of the AMCS >> newsletters and maps he participated in. His name was on 47 maps in San >> Luis Potosi and Tamaulipas alone. Don was involved with mapping Sótano del >> Venadito, Tamps., from 1969 to 1998. He led the re-survey of the cave from >> 1989-1998, the longest project in the Sierra de El Abra. >> >> Don’s family originally was from the Houston area and Louisiana. He is >> survived by his mother, Madeline Skinner of Brenham, Texas; sister, Linda >> Broussard, Los Angeles, CA; nephew, Morgan Broussard, Houston area; and >> cousin, Wendell, Smithville, TX. David Honea has notified the family and >> will be assisting them in making arrangements. >> >> A full obituary with more details will be posted later and in the next >> AMCS Activities Newsletter. Many friends will be writing tributes to Don. >> We ask that cavers be respectful of the life of Don Broussard, and please >> do not post critical or embarrassing remarks. We all miss our dear friend, >> Don! >> >> Contributors: William R. Elliott, John Fish, David Honea, Logan McNatt, >> Peter Sprouse, Nancy Weaver. >> >> *William R. (Bill) Elliott* >> >> *[email protected] <[email protected]>* >> >> 573-291-5093 cell >> _______________________________________________ >> Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com >> [email protected] | Archives: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >> http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers >> > _______________________________________________ > Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com > [email protected] | Archives: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers >
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