Collection on Rudolph W. Edmund

Rudolph W. Edmund was born 9 May 1910 in Lockridge, Iowa, to Amos and Minnie Edmund. He was the eldest of six children. He grew up on the family farm and received his early education in a one-room school. Upon graduation from Ottumwa High School in 1928, Edmund worked for a year to save enough money to begin his college education at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. When Edmund started college in the fall of 1930, he planned to become a medical missionary, but his career path changed when he took his first geology course, taught by professor Fritiof M. Fryxell. From this point on, Fryxell acted as Edmund's mentor. Edmund graduated from Augustana College with a Bachelor's Degree in Geology in 1934. After working for a year, Edmund continued his education at the University of Iowa where he attained a Master's Degree (1938) and a Ph. D. (1940). In June 1939 Edmund married Doris Swanson, a fellow Augustana College graduate.

In July 1940, Edmund took a position as a Subsurface Petroleum Geologist at Shell Oil Company. He worked for Shell until 1945 when he opened a consulting office in Oklahoma City with a business partner. In 1948, Edmund returned to Augustana as a professor. He remained at Augustana until January of 1969, with a sizable break between 1951 and 1960 when he returned to his job as a petroleum geologist. While at Augustana, Edmund was instrumental in helping design new facilities for the Department of Geology and the Geology Museum as it transitioned to a new location in what is now known as Swenson Hall. He also served as the chair of the Department of Geology for several years. In 1969, Edmund accepted the position of Vice President for Academic Affairs at California Lutheran College. He worked in the administration of this new institution until 1974 when he began teaching in the Department of Geology in 1974. He retired in 1980 though continued teaching part-time for several years.

In the midst of his successful and varied professional life, Rudolph and his wife Doris raised a family of three daughters. They were active in the Lutheran Church: they helped to found Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Oklahoma City and were active volunteers and supporters of Holden Village, a Lutheran retreat center in Washington state. Rudolph served on the board of directors of Holden Village and also established a museum about the Howe Sound Mine. Doris and Rudolph continued to live in California until Doris's health began to fail in 1994. At this point, they decided to move back to the Midwest. Rudolph volunteered at the Fryxell Geology Museum upon his return to Rock Island. Doris passed away in the spring of 1995 and Rudolph followed in November 1997.