Charles Richard Stelck was born on May 20, 1917, in Edmonton, Alberta and died on May 14, 2016.
He was an award-winning Canadian petroleum geologist, paleontologist, stratigrapher and emeritus professor.
Stelck’s research has generated many large oil and gas finds in western Canada.
In his teens, he worked on summer geological field parties.
He received a Tegler Scholarship, he attended the University of Alberta.
Charles switched into the geology program when his friend, Robert Folinsbee, convinced him that it was an exciting field.
He then gained a BSc (1937) and a MSc degree (1941).
Stelck relocated to California and obtained his PhD degree at Stanford University.
In 1960, he was elected to the Royal Society of Canada.
On his expeditions he observed reef material while conducting geological research in a mountainous region near Norman Wells, Northwest Territories with a dog team.
His team first recorded observation of these materials were made in 1914 by Dr. T.O. Bosworth, whose 69-page report on his expedition along the Mackenzie River led directly to the discovery of the Norman Wells oilfield.
They had Asteroid (187680) named in his honour.
Charles R. Stelck passed away at 89 yrs old.