Tribute to Jim Minette
Note from James W. Ahl

The mineral world has indeed lost a cherished friend. Unknown to Jim, he was indeed a major influence on my mineral collecting.  While stationed at Edwards AFB way back in 1971-early ' 73, I spent many weekends on the dumps at Boron.  I began searching the dumps soon after arriving from my previous station at Mt Laguna in San Diego County in December of '71.  On my fourth visit I noticed a small red pickup truck stop below me and a man got out and walked up to me and introduced himself (Jim). He inquired on how well I was doing and I showed him the 3 colemanties that I had managed to retrieve intact (all small minatures) in my 2 hours of collecting.  Jim smiled and asked how long I had been collecting minerals, how did I become interested, and did I collect specific minerals.  I told him that I got hooked/smitten by attending the Tucson Show the previous February (still at the Fairgrounds) during a quick getaway trip from the military and had just ended up in Tucson to enjoy the beautiful Arizona desert.  I related how my heart raced when I saw a world of beauty that I didn't realize existed at that level since I had only started collecting minerals in the summer of 1970 while on leave back in Western New York (Lockport dolomite quarries on the Niagara Escarpment).  Jim broke into a grin and said that he had seen me collecting the past several weekends and asked if I would like to go over to his house.  I agreed, not realizing that I was about to have my first lesson by a 'true collector'!  That was just the first of many visits to his home and both Jim and his lovely wife Dawn were always so gracious.  Not only did I get to see my first 'QUALITY' Kelly smithsonites  but I also was strongly encouraged to subscribe to a new magazine called the Mineralogical Record!!  At that time a lifetime subscription was offerred for just $100 but the Air Force pay simply didn't allow such an extragavent expenditure!!! Many years later (1991) while on my first visit to the Kelly mine and talking with Tony Otero, I was being shown a case of smithsonites when I saw a steel-grey specimen that was stunning.  I remarked to Tony that I sure wish I could afford such a specimen because it reminded me of a similar specimen I had seen in the collection of Jim Minette.  Well, Tony's eyes lit up, he smiled the biggest grin and said. " Pick up the label and turn it over".  On the back it read, save for Jim M!!! I hope that Marty can work it out that Jim's collection will still be the feature at the Springfield Show this year.  The 'Easterners' need to have an opportunity to see the extradinary collection that Jim and Dawn assembled. Sincerely,  Jim Ahl