I first met Will Downs in the 1970s during my childhood summers visiting my grandparents in Flagstaff, Arizona. My grandfather had ‘retired’ to an emeritus position at the Museum of Northern Arizona, and my brother Denis and I would hang out there pestering the scientists and staff. The MNA was a vibrant place in the 1970s, employing a host of exciting young paleontologists, including such luminaries as R. Cifelli, L. Jacobs, and T. Rowe, to mention a few. But the highlight of any research center visit was the geology prep lab, where Will could be found sorting matrix or air scribing some fossil. He was extremely generous to us boys, always taking time to share some off-color tale, to offer his seasoned opinion on the delicate art of interacting with the ladies, or to help with one of our volunteer projects (a particular turtle that I was charged to prepare remains a staple feature of my nightmares to this day). Will was a major influence in my formative years, and I will always remember him with the greatest affection.
Regarding this contribution, many thanks to M. Greenwald and C. Herbel (SDSM), and to D. Tedford (AMNH) for their specimen loans. At UT, thanks always to T. Rowe (guidance, suggestions, and support), R. Ketcham and R. Racicot (help with the scanning and image processing), and to the rest of the CT lab personnel for general support. Thanks to L. Jacobs for the invitation to contribute to this volume, and to two anonymous reviewers who improved the quality of this report. As we all know, Will was a remarkable individual — it was an honor to have known him.