MEMORIALS
Thoughts and memories of fellow members
128 topics in this forum
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RIP Pal Meir
by Z4Devil- 10 replies
- 250 views
Dear all, I still can't believe it: our Jens aka Pal Meir passed away today in the hospital. Many of you will still remember his expertise on Lytos; he achieved incredible things, especially with itapebiiensis. We used to meet once a month for coffee; it was a sacred ritual. Until he no longer had the courage to get into the car. Then everything happened very quickly. I am so incredibly sad; I will miss him terribly.
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RIP Walt in Lake Placid
by kylecawazafla- 9 replies
- 273 views
Walt's wife just posted on the main forum on an Elaeis guineensis post that he passed away in June 2025. I don't know if she is aware of this subforum so figured I would post here. I never met Walt, however, have been following his posts on his garden since approximately 2003. He was one of the first contributors who regularly posted photos in posts, which I always appreciated because I lived in Seattle, WA at the time and loved seeing palm photos. It was fascinating learning about the difference between USDA zones in CA and FL because of him, as he would "famously" grow coconuts in USDA zone 9b! He also would share photos of his trees that would recover from seasona…
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- 11 replies
- 989 views
Dear friends on Palm Talk, I am back from the ice age, literally in every sense. Like everyone else, I've been going through a rough patch, and not just because of the freezing cold weather here. But as always, I'm picking myself up and staying positive in my feelings, thoughts, and actions, because nothing else will help... I'm also looking forward to the extremely interesting posts and communication with everyone here. I really appreciate it and am grateful to be a part of it. Mazat
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Mercury Psillakis germinator extraordinaire.
by palmtreesforpleasure- 3 followers
- 28 replies
- 2.8k views
It is with great sadness and heavy heart to inform palm talkers that Merc passed away today from a shark attack whist surfing at Dee Why beach. He loved his surfing and his palms. He was a generous, humorous person with a kind heart, and we all in shock at his passing He will very sadly missed. All our thoughts are with his family regards Colin
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Dial Dunkin
by ASHCVS- 0 replies
- 669 views
Dial Dunkin was a titan of palm horticulture in South Texas. In fact we will be visiting his private garden during the upcoming “Weekend Biennial” RGV this December. Thank you to @Chuck M PSST for sharing the link
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- 1 follower
- 26 replies
- 3.2k views
I've been sick for the last few years, unfortunately it is better that I do not go into details/ now I am fine not very well, but fine and let's hope that it was just a nightmare I will only tell you that I was in bed for 4 and a half years, to add insult to injury I am 75% disabled but they also blocked my pension now I am appealing, luckily my wife works and also my son has 3 degrees and 2 salaries he helps me, unfortunately many plants have died because obviously I could not take care of them,my health conditions, since the beginning of July, after I had the operation, I'm fine, the doctors say that a miracle happened and as you can imagine I was reborn,I've had m…
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Pat McNeal of McNeal Growers
by Meangreen94z- 3 replies
- 3.5k views
I heard that he passed away this week. Probably not as well known in the palm community , but he brought a number of species from Mexico, Texas, and New Mexico into cultivation. He was based out of the Austin, Texas area for decades and later Bastrop.
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Don Kurth
by ASHCVS- 2 replies
- 1.2k views
Dr. Kurth was a very kind man. He will surely be missed. This is the obituary: Donald James Kurth Jr. APRIL 26, 1949 – OCTOBER 4, 2023 IN THE CARE OF Stone Funeral Home Donald James Kurth Jr. April 26, 1949 – October 4, 2023 Donald James Kurth, Jr. was born on April 26, 1949 to Donald J Kurth Sr. and Isabelle Statchen in Newport, Rhode Island. Don grew up in Westwood New Jersey and graduated from Westwood High School in 1967. He later completed his undergraduate studies at Columbia University (BA) graduating cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 1975 before attending me…
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RIP Jimmy Buffet 09.01.2023
by Barry- 4 replies
- 1.4k views
Jimmy pasted away last night. It is a sad time for Parrotheads around the world! I have many great memories from the concerts over the years. Always a great party and event, not just a concert. Two most memorable concerts: Miami Marine Stadium in the late 90’s, we chartered a 40 ft sailboat for the concert, rafted up to over a thousand boats, Jimmy played from the barge, we took the dingy up to front of barge, you were front row! Sunrise Musical Theater, don’t remember the year, but bought last minute tickets with a friend, was 2 days before Christmas, Jimmy’s birthday. The whole concert was just him by himself playing on the stage from a stool and lounge cha…
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- 6 replies
- 2.8k views
Philip James Morgan was born Nov 21 1948 in Inglewood, CA to his parents Shirley and Thomas Morgan. He attended Palomar College where he met his wife Joanie in the early 70s. He also worked at Palomar College for many years as custodial supervisor until his retirement in 2010. At the college he helped establishing and maintaining the Palm Garden. He and his wife lived in Leucadia since 1976, where he created a tropical oasis that included many species of rare palms. A longtime advocate of palm trees and the Palm Society, Phil had an excellent knowledge of palms and would promote palms with anyone that visited his garden. His humor and personality definitely be…
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Michael (Miguel Pasqual) has passed
by metalfan- 3 replies
- 2k views
After a brief battle with cancer our friend Miguel Pasqual has passed away. Like probably a few of you I have been most recently his Facebook friend. But I met him here years ago for the first time. He was that one of a kind person.
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Sunya Echternach
by bgl- 1 reply
- 1.9k views
Very sad news from Maui this evening. Sunya's son, Paul, called me from Kahului, Maui, to inform me that Sunya passed away on January 7th, 2022. Sunya has been a dear friend for some 25 years, and was a driving force 20 years ago to get the small Maui Palm Society up and running and by sheer willpower she kept it running for many years. She would also often visit the Big Island when HIPS (Hawaii Island Palm Society) had a garden tour. HIPS also had a very memorable weekend (Friday-Sunday) outing to Oahu in 2002. Ray Baker, sadly no longer with us, was our very knowledgeable guide and we visited Foster, Lyon and Ho'omaluhia with about four HIPS members from the Big Island…
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RIP Christopher Baasch
by Kim- 7 replies
- 3.4k views
Most of you will not have known Chris, as he has spent a few decades living in Venezuela. I met him in Southern California in the very early stages of my palm obsession. He was passionate about plants and landscaping, and equally passionate about kindness to all humans and living things. In Venezuela he went on to create extraordinary landscaping projects and gardens. Below you will find links to his business website and articles with the very sad and shocking details of his death. http://www.cbaaschgardens.com/english.html https://newsbeezer.com/venezulaeng/well-known-american-landscaper-chris-baasch-was-murdered-in-his-home-in-naguanagua/ https://e…
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RIP Rolf Kyburz
by Daryl- 2 followers
- 10 replies
- 8.7k views
Well known Australian nurseryman seed/seedling trader....many would have heard of K-Palms. Rolf introduced us to the Madagascar Foxtail as well as many other new species of palms from Madagascar.
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RIP Don Ellison
by Daryl- 3 replies
- 3.3k views
Don Ellison passed away yesterday. For those that don't know him, he published a Palm book back in 2001 that was widely circulated. https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Cultivated_Palms_of_the_World.html?id=STrAt8uYb-QC&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y&fbclid=IwAR1BQp7BqJ-5ZH1PLZH5Ujw73285Fr9KLuED-wM2sDycNnroFl3HlMv-Ij0 Don was also involved in many horticultural projects and businesses and was recently nominated for the Order of Australia for his contribution to Australian horticulture. His family runs one of the largest Howea seed/seedling export operations in Australia. Funnily I drove past his old place a couple of weeks ago. …
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RIP George Sparkman
by joe_OC- 17 replies
- 6.2k views
With a heavy heart, I am sharing the news of George’s passing. I will miss him and his dry humor. Cancer sucks.
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RIP WAL
by Daryl- 2 followers
- 38 replies
- 5.5k views
Hi Everyone, it is a very sad day for the Aussie Ratpackers and all who loved him, but Wal Donovan passed away early this morning, April the 25th, a national day of remembrance in Australia (ANZAC Day). Wal will be sadly missed by his children and their families and all of us in the palm community. Also those members of PACSOA, BPACS and the IPS who have all had good times with Wal. Wal was our source of quirky jokes and also a great mate who looked after all around him, a generous and caring man whose friendship was greatly valued by all of us. It is truly a sad day and we will all miss him and his antics greatly. Wal was also an IPS director which shows hi…
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Stanley Kiem, 1929-2020
by mnorell- 1 follower
- 0 replies
- 2.9k views
I've just been informed that Stanley Kiem has passed away. He was a part-time neighbor of ours and sold his longtime Big Pine Key property in the last couple of years and had been living at his home on a large property not far from Fairchild. I just heard this news from someone who was very close with Stanley for years. Stanley had just celebrated his 91st birthday on 11 March. I believe he was the last of the IPS's founding members, and he was superintendent of Fairchild for many years. He was a very important figure in tropical horticulture and his death really marks the end of an era. I'm sure there are many South Florida members who can relate some of his many, many c…
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John Fairey of Yuccado Nursery
by Meangreen94z- 1 reply
- 2.6k views
Hello, I received an email that John Fairey of the former Yuccado Nursery and Peckerwood Gardens(now John Fairey Garden), passed away on March 17, 2020. I don’t believe he was a member of the International Palm Society, but some of Yuccado Nursery’s contributions include bringing Sabal Tamaulipas, Brahea Moorei, and I believe the extremely blue variation of Sabal Uresana to U.S. cultivation. Among many other species of plants from Mexico and elsewhere. http://jfgarden.org/about/our-history/
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R I P Louis Hooper, La Habra, Califorina, USA
by DoomsDave- 1 follower
- 8 replies
- 4.4k views
Dear PSSC members: It is with deep sorrow that we in the PSSC report the passing of Louis Hooper, on December 20, 2019. Mr. Hooper, along with his late wife Carol, held a special place in the hearts of all PSSC members. Louis was a founding member of the modern PSSC; he signed the incorporation documents on April 6, 1984, and had been active for many years before then. Louis and Carol Hooper had a world-class palm collection, which was a featured stop on many a "biennial" for the International Palm Society, and the location for a number of wonderful PSSC meetings as well. Best of all, they were always up for a visit from palm nuts from rou…
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RIP Jason Baker
by Rafael- 5 replies
- 4.9k views
It is with great sorrow that i report that our friend Jason Baker died a few moments ago, after months of fighting rectal cancer, without recourse to traditional medicine, which he did with conviction. Let us pray for the soul of our friend.
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W.S. Merwin Passes
by Resume- 5 replies
- 3.8k views
W.S Merwin, U.S. poet laureate, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, environmentalist, and palm enthusiast passed away Friday at his home in Hawaii. He was 91 https://merwinconservancy.org/land-and-home/press-release-w-s-merwin-permanently-preserves-rare-hawaiian-palm-forest/
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Poet & Palm Grower W.S. Merwin passes away at 91
by Hillizard- 0 replies
- 2k views
https://merwinconservancy.org/2019/03/pulitzer-prize-winning-poet-w-s-merwin-passes-away-at-91/ "In the mid-1970s, Merwin moved to Maui to study Zen Buddhism with Robert Aitken, who encouraged Merwin to purchase a denuded parcel of land on the island. He would build his home there and soon after, met his wife Paula Dunaway. The two attentively replanted their plot of land in the Pe’ahi Valley on the north shore of Maui, Hawaii. Slowly transforming a 'wasteland' one sapling at a time, into the thriving 19-acre palm forest that it is today, Merwin remained a dedicated and treasured member of the environmentalist community. The couple later established a non-profit orga…
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Hugh Harries
by John Dransfield- 1 reply
- 2.1k views
I have recently received the very sad news that our member Hugh Harries died on 7th February after a short illness. Hugh was passionate about coconuts and published widely, particularly on the origin and dispersal of Cocos nucifera. One of his most important papers is that in Botanical Reviews 44:265-319 (1978) but he also wrote several more light-hearted papers in Principes (now PALMS) such as "Darwin and the robber crab" and "Nuts to the garden of Eden" which, nevertheless have serious intent. We shall miss his sense of fun and his deep passion for his subject.
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- 5 replies
- 9.3k views
http://silverhillseeds.co.za/Newsletter.asp The information in this current newsletter from Silverhill Seeds was discussed at last year's NorCal Palm Society meeting in Berkeley. It's a very tragic event that adds to previous posts by Palmtalk folks regarding the many challenges of collecting seeds "in the wild" in some locations. I thought it was something to share with a wider audience in this forum.
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