Oct. 5, 1952 - Oct. 5, 2026
Date of Service: Oct. 20, 2026
ANCHORAGE, AK – Robert Brent Blodgett, age74, passed away on October 5, 2026, in Anchorage Alaska.
Robert was born on October 5, 1952, in Pocatello, Idaho, to Avis McClellan Blodgett and Robert Leroy Blodgett. At the age of five his family moved to Seattle, WA and then in 1960 the family moved to Anchorage, Alaska where he graduated from high school in 1971. While in high school Robert developed a lifelong passion for paleontology which led to a stellar career as a paleontologist and geologist unravelling the geologic history throughout Alaska and other locales around the United States. Robert attended the University of Alaska Fairbanks where he received his BS in geology in 1975 and his MS in Geology in 1978. In 1987 Blodgett received his PhD in Geology from Oregon State University. His career included research studies at Oregon State University, then at the U.S. Geological Survey in Reston, Virginia (1988–1995) where he also spent considerable time at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. studying fossils in their collections. He also received an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship, which took him to Göttingen, Germany, to study fossils in European museums. Then Robert was an Instructor in Natural Sciences at Western Oregon State University. Blodgett then moved to Anchorage, Alaska and began the next chapter of his career as a consulting geologist and paleontologist working on projects for the State of Alaska Geological and Geophysical Surveys, the U.S. Geological Surveys, the National Park Service, and for numerous oil and gas companies exploring Alaska. He also developed the Alaska Paleontological Database which has over 17,000 fossil localities. In 2004 Robert Blodgett was honored by having a new genus of Triassic- age gastropod (snail) discovered in Idaho named after him - Blodgettella enormecostata.
Throughout his career Robert Blodgett wrote over 330 significant publications and co-authored many more. These contributions include journal articles, chapters in books and new geologic maps. Robert had a remarkable career flying by helicopter and hiking mountain ridges throughout Alaska. While he is most noted for his studies of brachiopods and gastropods, he also became an expert in identifying other fossils including plants, plesiosaurs and corals. Robert’s work was also highly valued by the oil and gas industry, which relied on his research to help guide exploration in Alaska. Robert had an engaging and dynamic personality and was loved and very well-liked by his family, friends and colleagues. He also had a love for dogs and raised two small poodles that he enjoyed sharing his life with. Robert was a researcher and explorer at heart, and in his spare time he enjoyed genealogy research in his later years. Robert was a man of deep faith in one God who respected all faiths, seeing God’s handiwork in the rocks and fossils he studied. In his later years he continued to publish his many paleontology works and worked daily up until his stroke in November 2025. With the passing of Dr. Robert Blodgett, Alaska has lost the finest paleontologist to ever work in the Last Frontier. Shortly before his impending death Robert donated his world-class rock and fossil collection to the Alaska Geologic Materials Center in Anchorage, where it was most gratefully received.
Robert was preceded in death by both parents; and both older sisters, JoAnn Blodgett and Sharon Blodgett Smith. He leaves behind four nieces and nephews, Chizari Hans (CA), Sandy Fischler-Laube (CA), Keith Lindsey (NC), and Joe Fischler, Jr (WA).
Robert B. Blodgett was laid to rest on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at Paul Cemetery, in Paul, Idaho, near his mother and other relatives. There were no public services held due to his transport to Idaho; graveside committal prayers were offered by Nik Rasmussen at the time of burial.
In Robert’s own words, God Bless.
