A Man With Many Interests

Hubert C. de Monmonier (November 25, 1919 – March 7, 2007) was born at his grandparents’ house in Illinois, but the family soon returned to Pearce, Arizona, where he spent the first two years of his life. In 1921, his family moved to the oil fields of Texas, and later to Los Angeles, California.

After serving in the army, de Monmonier returned to Los Angeles in 1946 to work for the local school district as a groundsman. After passing a sheet metal exam with the highest score, he worked for the school district as a sheet metal worker for the next 23 years until retiring in 1977.

de Monmonier’s passion for collecting classic, rare, and beautiful minerals will live on through his donation to the UA Mineral Museum, where his collection will be shared with tens of thousands of visitors each year.