Lawrence F. Machesky

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Lawrence F. Machesky, 86, passed away at his home in Las Vegas on Aug. 15, 2014, with his family present at his bedside.

Lawrence was born Dec. 9, 1927, to the late Joseph and Adela Machesky in Gile, Wis.

He married Shirley A. Wyzlic on June 12, 1950, at St. Michael's Church in Ironwood, Mich.

At the age of 16 he enlisted in the Merchant Marines and was part of the U.S. expeditionary forces transporting German POW's across the Atlantic during WWII.

After his service, Lawrence attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and graduated in 1953 with a degree in geology/geophysics.

Over the next 35 years, Lawrence's work allowed him to realize his childhood dream of traveling the world. From 1957-'59, Lawrence and his family lived in Indonesia where, as a geophysist for Standard Oil, he helped Indonesia develop its petroleum resources on the island of Sumatra.

After leaving Indonesia, his family returned to Ironwood while Lawrence explored for minerals in the Philippines. In 1961, the family moved to Madison, Wis., where Lawrence divided his time working for his mentor, Dr. George Woollard, at the University of Wisconsin and his good friend, Ken Koenen, in Korea.

In 1963, Lawrence and his family followed Dr. Woollard to the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics, at University of Hawaii, where Lawrence conducted geophysical research that helped prove the theory of Plate Tectonics.

Lawrence returned to the U.S. mainland in 1970 where, as the district geologist for Noranda Mines in Denver and later in 1973, in Wausau, Wis., he directed Noranda's western and Midwest mineral exploration programs.

In 1974, Lawrence and Shirley returned to Asia, where he was assigned as the Natural Resources Officer in Bangkok, Thailand, for the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. At ESCAP, Lawrence helped countries in the region develop their mineral exploration programs. Lawrence retired from ESCAP in 1987.

Retirement included an active consulting career until 1996, and moves with Shirley to Colorado, Indiana, Las Vegas, St. Louis, Mo., and a second move to Las Vegas in 2013; all the while enjoying time with children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, family, and friends. And occasionally prospecting for that elusive diamond deposit in northern Wisconsin and the U.P.

He is survived by his wife, Shirley; five children, Michael L., Champaign, Ill., Stephen A., Downsville, Wis., Jefry J., Toronto, Canada, Lee Ann Myers, Chesterfield, Mo., Pon Akins, Las Vegas; eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Lawrence was preceded in death by a grandson, Joseph Michael; sisters, Nada Machesky and Dorothy LaGrew; and brother, Edward Machesky.