Fryxell, a geologist and anthropologist, was most noted for his work in dating archaeological sites and related geological studies. Early in his career he served as curator of Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Museum in Washington from 1960 to 1961. Later he was a professor of anthropology at Washington State University. While at Washington State he began excavating in 1962 at the Marmes Rockshelter archeological site in southeast Washington. The excavation resulted in the discovery of the famous Marmes human skeletal remains in 1968, the earliest well-documented remains found in the Western Hemisphere.
In 1969 Fryxell was named to NASA's Lunar Sample Preliminary Examination Team, and examined the lunar rocks and soil samples brought back by the Apollo missions. He was also the designer of the apparatus used for collecting core samples of the moon's surface. Fryxell also researched and published extensively in his field. He was killed in an automobile accident at age 40.
From the description of Papers, 1950-1978. (University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center). WorldCat record id: 29434507
