At about 10 years old, my mom encouraged me to get a Geode cut open at the county fair instead of throwing my money away in the carnival section. I think we bought five or six Geodes before the day was over, that's all it took and we were hooked. As our interest grew, I began to focus on minerals specimens, notably colorful and esthetic miniatures. In 1984, my parents started D & M Rock & Gem and we did local rock shows and street fairs. The day after I graduated High School, I went to work for Jim and Mary Walker at the same county fair where we had started collecting Geodes. By the time the show was over I had a new Tsumeb Dioptase, a Brazilian Scepter Tourmaline, and I owed them money. Yes, I still have those pieces today. Over the last 40 years our collection has grown. My parents, Marilyn and Dave, still collect Geodes, along with Petrified Wood, Fossils, and Mining Memorabilia. My focus has remained mostly on Minerals, preferably gemmy miniatures, but not always the case.
My parents still come to Tucson every year as I run around looking for new and exciting discoveries or key missing pieces for the collection. Always on the lookout, I try to find colorful esthetic specimens for all levels of collectors at affordable prices.
