William Lee Stokes

William Lee Stokes (March 27, 1915, Black Hawk, Carbon County, Utah - December 12, 1994)[1] was a geologist and paleontologist who is best known for his work at Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry in Emery County, Utah. William Stokes lived to be 79 and was survived by his wife Betty Stokes, his two daughters, Patricia Stokes and Betty Lee Huff; a son, William M. Stokes, and several grandchildren.[2] The dinosaur Stokesosaurus was named after him.

Stokes graduated from Brigham Young University with a B.S. in 1937 and M.S. in 1938.[1] He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in geology from Princeton University in 1941.[3]

Stokes, a Latter-day Saint, wrote extensively about science and religion, and against young-earth creationism. In spite of his scientific qualifications and record, many of his manuscripts went unpublished. One that did, The Genesis Answer, was nominated by the publisher, Prentice-Hall, for the American Academy of Religion's Award for Excellence. His writings did find at least a limited audience, as Elder John K. Carmack, a member of the LDS hierarchy, nominated him for a Templeton Prize in 1991. He was nominated the James E. Talmage Scientific Achievement award from BYU in the 1980s.

Stokes gave a pro-evolution lecture, "Which? Genesis or Geology?" which was printed in the advance issue of the June 8, 1973 Church News, but was edited out and replaced for the public printing.[4]