Albert D. Kollar

A lifelong resident of Turtle Creek, age 72, died unexpectedly at his home on Tuesday, April 9, 2024.

Albert was preceded in death by his parents, Rudolph and Eleanor (Giba) Kollar and was one of their four children.

Albert earned his M.S. in Geology and Invertebrate Paleontology from the University of Pittsburgh. He has been the Section Head and Collection Manager for the Section of Invertebrate Paleontology, at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Oakland.  Albert had served as the President of the Pittsburgh Geological Society from 2011-2014 and has been a Board Member since 2015. He was a member of the Geological Society of America and other professional associations.

He authored and co-authored more than 50 peer reviewed research papers, abstracts, and geology field guides.

Albert was the recipient of the Walt Skinner Award in 2020 from the Pittsburgh Geological Society, the GSIS Award for the Best Professional Guidebook from the Geological Society of America in 2019, and the George V. Cohee Public Service Award in 2017 from the Eastern Section of the American Association Petroleum Geologists.

Albert presented well over 500 geology seminars and fossil field trips throughout Western Pennsylvania for schools, regional parks, community organizations, conservancies, and professional geologic societies. He organized several forums on energy and the history of fossil fuels of Western Pennsylvania at the University of Pittsburgh’s Osher Institute and he had collaborated with the Shady Side Academy Middle School’s Earth Science programs for decades.

Albert guided Architecture Building Stone tours of Western PA historical structures including The Carnegie Museum and Library, Fort Ligonier c. 1758, Braddock Library c. 1889,  Carnegie Steel (E.T. Plant) (1876) Braddock, PA., and Fort Pitt Blockhouse c. 1754.  

There will not be a visitation. A commemoration of his life will be held at a later date.

Memorial donations may be made to The Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 4400 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213 or www.carnegiemnh.org.

Arrangements are with Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc., Turtle Creek / Monroeville Chapel, 1111 Monroeville Ave., Turtle Creek, 412-823-9350.