Clark Howell

Mar 19, 01:20 PM

Current Headlines: Anthropologist;

Born November 27, 1925;

Died March 10, 2007.

F CLARK Howell, described by his peers as "one of the giants" of anthropology, has died of cancer aged 81.

Howell unearthed important fossil evidence of human evolution and was seen as a peacemaker in an often contentious field.

In seven expeditions to Ethiopia between 1967 and 1973, Howell led anthropologists to one of the most important finds of the 20th century. The discovery of australopithecenes, the first apes that showed clear hominid characteristics, suggested the human lineage stretched back at least 4 million years - about 2 million years longer than previously thought.

"Clark worked tirelessly to advance the science, " said Tim D White, a close colleague. "He shared his knowledge and wisdom with everybody, a generosity unparalleled in paleoanthropology."

He was also remembered for encouraging young Ethiopian paleontologists.

Howell was "a genuine advocate for the advancement of Africans and paleoanthropological research in Africa, " said Giday Woldegabriel, an Ethiopian-born anthropologist.

Howell was born in Kansas City in November 1925, and served in the US Navy during the Second World War. He earned his undergraduate and doctorate degrees from the University of Chicago. In 1970, he was recruited by UC Berkeley, where he became a professor emeritus in 1997 and continued to work until his illness forced him to stop.

He also served as a scientific adviser and trustee of the Leakey Foundation, which provides grants to anthropologists; a trustee and president of the California Academy of Sciences; an editor or editorial board member of nine scientific journals and an adviser to the National Science Foundation.

Howell is survived by his wife, Betty Ann; a son, Brian David Howell, and a daughter, Jennifer Clare Howell.

(c) 2007 Herald, The; Glasgow (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.