Honoring Betty Shor: A Tribute
Betty Noble Shor: A Pioneering Historian of Oceanography
Betty Noble Shor, a prominent figure in the world of oceanography, passed away on October 13, 2021, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Born into a family of scientists, Shor's father was a professor of mining geology at Caltech. Her life, however, was deeply intertwined with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, where she made significant contributions as an editor, chronicler, and volunteer.
Shor and her husband, George Shor, were among the founders of Scripps Estates. The couple spent their careers at UC San Diego, with Betty contributing to numerous research expeditions from 1971 to 1992, visiting various locations including Taiwan, the Philippines, Australia, and other exotic locales.
Shor's work primarily focused on documenting and disseminating scientific research, supporting the institution's scientific community, and preserving its history. She authored a history of Scripps, titled "our organization: Probing the Oceans, 1936-1976," which was published in 1978.
In addition to her work at Scripps, Shor was also an accomplished author. She wrote "Fossils and Flies," a biography of her husband's grandfather, Samuel Wendell Williston, and "The Fossil Feud," about the competition between paleontologists Othniel C. Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope.
Shor's passion extended beyond oceanography, as she had a keen interest in compiling the flowering characteristics for the world's species of bamboo, a listing that has grown beyond 125 pages.
Shor officially retired from employment at Scripps in 1983, but continued to volunteer in the education department of Scripps Aquarium and the Scripps Ancient Mariners. She was a dedicated volunteer, working with a group of active volunteers to restore the George H. Scripps Memorial Marine Biological Laboratory and the Friends of the International Center at UC San Diego.
Shor was a cousin of Bob McClellan, who remembers her as always being full of fun. Nona Crampton, a close friend, described Shor as a wonderful mentor and a very dear friend. In recognition of her contributions, a guyot (a flat-topped submarine mountain) was named Betty Guyot in her honor.
Memorial services for Betty Noble Shor will be posted at a later date. Tribute messages can be sent to scrippsnews@our website. Shor is survived by her children, Alexander Noble Shor, Carolyn Elizabeth Shor Large, and Donald Williston Shor, and seven grandchildren.
For those seeking detailed, authoritative information about Shor's achievements, specific publications, or contributions, it is recommended to consult records or archives at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, memoirs or historical accounts of Scripps, or published interviews or tributes dedicated to her work.
Science and education-and-self-development were integral parts of Betty Noble Shor's life, as she authored several books outside of her primary focus on oceanography, including a biography and a comprehensive listing of the flowering characteristics for the world's species of bamboo. Personal-growth was also evident in her involvement in various publications, such as "our organization: Probing the Oceans, 1936-1976," and her role as a mentor to many in the Scripps Institution of Oceanography community.
