Deceased September 10, 2023
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IN MEMORY
Frederick Fales “Tad” Monroe died on Sept. 10, 2023.
Tad came to Amherst from Rye, N.Y. He majored in geology; pledged Psi Upsilon, where he was house manager; and joined the Outing Club. After earning his bachelor of arts degree at Amherst, he obtained a master of science degree at the American University and a master of arts at the University of Miami, followed by his Ph.D. at the American University.
After securing his professional geology certificate, Tad took a job with the U.S. Geological Survey. This led to a 40-year career with the State Department in Washington, D.C., specializing in Soviet intelligence. (If the State Department seems an unlikely venue for a geologist, consider the political significance of uranium deposits and strategic oil reserves.) Before retiring from the State Department in 2001, Tad was awarded a Career Achievement Medal to go with the Meritorious Honor Award he had received in 1983.
Tad then began studying at Virginia Tech to become a professional naturalist, adding the study of flora and fauna above the ground to his understanding of the geology below the surface. By 2016, he was listed by Who’s Who as a retired geologist and oceanographer at George Mason University in Arlington, Va. (Tad is listed in a number of Marquis Who’s Who volumes: Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Science and Engineering, and Who’s Who in the World.)
Tad is survived by his widow, Lori Rose Monroe, of Falls Church, Va., and by their five grown daughters and eight grandchildren scattered across the country.
Ned Megargee ’58