MEMORIALS
Thoughts and memories of fellow members
121 topics in this forum
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- 1 follower
- 24 replies
- 3.7k views
Mark Daish from FNQ just called me and said he is going to Mikeys funeral today, he died a few days ago, thought I better post and let everyone know of Mikeys passing, I had never met Mikey .. RIP Mikey.. Pete
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Miss you Dick
by _Keith- 0 replies
- 1.7k views
This was on the sidebar of PT Today. "PalmGuyWC (75)" I hope that these reminders are left up in perpetuity.
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Mrs. Dent Smith, 1927-2009
by Bob Johnson- 8 replies
- 5.1k views
Doris Smith, wife of Palm Society founder Dent Smith, passed away on May 10th. She was 82 years old. A memorial service for Doris will be held at 11 am on Tuesday, June 30th at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 216 Ridgewood Ave., Daytona Beach, FL. In Lieu of flowers, the family has asked that memorial contributions be made to: Hospice of Volusia /Flagler, 3800 Woodbriar Trail, Port Orange FL 32127 or The Tribute Program, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, FL 33156 Doris’ son Rick shares the following about his mother: “Her best friend and traveling companion was Dent. They met while on a tour of Europe. They conti…
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my brother
by kelleyslawn- 1 follower
- 8 replies
- 3.7k views
well last night if found out my baby brother Marcus kelley only 23 was killed by drunk driver. and yes they have them in jail and the best of all it was his wife. they were only togther 3 months i warned him almost every day about drinking. so you see to all the young and old people it does not pay to drink and drive because you never know were or when it is your time. i was starting to get him into cycads but he loved plants almost as much as me almost. sincerly David kelley
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My palm buddy is gone
by rozpalm- 24 replies
- 7.7k views
Sadly we had to put down our 1.5yo dog yesterday. He started having seizures in November and no amount of medicine was able to control them. We tried everything we could to save him but he still would have up to 6 seizures a day. We finally went to a dog neurologist that gave us the bad news that he had all the signs of cranial distemper, something he must have picked up in the Bahamas as a stray. After suffering two back to back debilitating seizures, we decided it was time. This was probably one of the hardest thing I have ever had to do. His name was Abaco and we got him from a shelter in the Bahamas. From the time he was a puppy and right up to he end, he lo…
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Nat de Leon has passed away
by DoomsDave- 1 follower
- 8 replies
- 2.8k views
I have been advised that Nat de Leon, one of the early board members in the IPS has died. He was a member of the IPS board in 1958, before I was even born. I never met him, but will provide further information as it becomes available. Those who knew him are invited to share their memories. Here is a picture of Mr. de Leon, on the right.
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Noel Lake Memorial
by tank- 3 replies
- 5.6k views
I am posting this memorial for Merrill Wilcox.
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Paul A. Drummond has passed on
by TikiRick- 1 reply
- 3.8k views
Paul A. Drummond died on Saturday, September 15, 2007 comfortably asleep while in the hospital. After suffering a fall on his bicycle and injuring himself, he underwent surgery and never quite recovered--either physically or psychologically. A longer memorial tribute will soon be posted about this amazing man who dedicated much of his life to palms. Rick
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Pauleen Sullivan
by jdapalms- 2 followers
- 22 replies
- 19.7k views
I received a call from Terry Sullivan this morning, informing Cindy and I that Pauleen Sullivan his mom, has passed away on Wednesday August 8th 2012. Cindy and I are very saddened to hear this. Pauleen, to us, will always be the palm queen. Her gardens in Ventura and Hawaii and her passion for palms have been very inspirational to me and many others. Pauleen has traveled all over the world for the love of her passion palm trees and has never let the fact that she was in a wheelchair, due to Polio, at a younger age stop her for any reason. I have many memories with Pauleen. I will never forget the time when she had spray painted a palm crownshaft orange as a prank, …
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- 6 replies
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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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Poet & Palm Grower W.S. Merwin passes away at 91
by Hillizard- 0 replies
- 1.4k 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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PSST loss
by iamjv- 2 replies
- 3k views
For anyone that has ever attended our Palm Society of South Texas (PSST) Christmas meetings, you'll fondly remember Mrs. Santa Claus, aka Ruth Merrill. For many many years, Ruth graciously hosted the PSST Christmas party at her beautiful Bay View home. Without a doubt, this is our biggest society meeting of the year and it always took a lot to host 70-90 guests. Ruth loved having everyone over as she truly enjoyed the Christmas season and this meeting in particular where she could see so many beloved friends. Ruth last hosted our society in Dec 2008. She had plans for hosting the 2009 meeting but took ill and just couldn't manage such an undertaking. All of us in PS…
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R I P Elva West
by DoomsDave- 0 replies
- 1.5k views
http://obits.ocregister.com/obituaries/orangecounty/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=187527358 He was a longtime member of the PSSC and I remember his enormous Hyophorbe langencaulis at his estate in the hills of Anaheim, before they called it Anaheim Hills.
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R I P Jim Wright
by DoomsDave- 10 replies
- 3.1k views
I went to the celebration on September 26, 2015 down at the Quail. (Oops, San Diego Botanical gardens! ) We gathered in the Walled Garden and paid our respects to Jim Wright. If you were there, represent! Here's Phil Bergman, who told a bunch of wonderful stories and anecdotes.
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R I P Louis Hooper, La Habra, Califorina, USA
by DoomsDave- 1 follower
- 8 replies
- 3.3k 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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R I P Ralph Velez
by DoomsDave- 1 follower
- 25 replies
- 5k views
Everyone: We are deeply saddened to inform that Ralph Velez, one of our longest-serving members, has passed away, on April 24th, 2018, in a hospice in Orange County after a long illness. He will always be remembered for his lifelong enthusiasm about palm culture and a long serving member of the IPS, as well as the Palm Society for Southern California.. More details will be provided when they become available.
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Ray Baker
by Morabeza- 3 replies
- 4.3k views
Yesterday Ray Baker died after a tough battle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Lyon Arboretum would not be what it is today without his decades of intense dedication to its collections. He was passionate about palms. His illness forced him to retire from the arboretum in September. He had been fighting a very tough battle against the illness, especially in the past year, but we all hoped he would get to live longer. The legacy that Ray left is immense. He poured the last 38 years of his life into the Arboretum. His passing is a huge loss for Lyon and the botanical community in Hawai'i and around the world. In September he created a foundation to support the…
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Remember Dick Douglas today - it's his birthday
by DoomsDave- 2 replies
- 2k views
Mr. Douglas (PalmGuyWC) was a very senior member of the Northern California palm society, and held an epic meeting in 2010 at his place in Walnut Creek which I had the privilege and pleasure to attend, as well as meeting Mr. Douglas and the No-Cal contingent. R I P Not forgotten!
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Rest In Peace Richard DOUGLAS 1 2
by PalmGuyWC- 1 follower
- 47 replies
- 10.2k views
I told you guys last week it was Richard's birthday day And it was a good one !! He got lots of phone calls and well wishes from all of his friends Well friday I had to rush him back to John Muir and by yesterday after noon they took him off all the anti biotics ect and He is now resting comfortably but in his final time here on earth .. He could be around for another day but essentialy he is gone GOD BLESS RICHARD DOUGLAS !! I KNOW SAINT PETER WILL WELCOME YOU WITH OPEN ARMS !!
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Rich Trapnell
by Pedro 65- 28 replies
- 8.6k views
Rich Trapnell sadly passsed away yesterday June 6th. Rich was born April 23 1950 in Wilmington Delaware USA. He attended Westminster boarding school in Conneticut then studied at Harvard University. Rich moved to Australia in 1971 to pursue his passion in nature by growing and selling tropical exotic fruit trees and rare palms, by the mid to late 80's Rich and Rosebud farms business comprised mainly of selling rare palm seedlings and plants. Rich prided himself in selling the highest quality palm seedlings and plants available to the public. Rich died exactly 40 years to the day he moved to 'Rosebud Farm' Karanda far north Queensland and will be sadly missed by all,H…
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RIP Alfred Razafindratsira
by BS Man about Palms- 3 replies
- 2.8k views
I'm kinda surprised to not find this here yet, but Alfred of the Beccariophoenix alfredii fame and major seed supplier for a huge amount of the Madagascar palms passed away this past Tuesday I believe. I find it comforting that just by happenstance I planted this alfredii on Monday. I have had it for years courtesy Pete Balasky who got the seed from Alfred before it was named. RIP Alfred, a great contributor to the plant and Palm world.
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RIP Charles Wychgel
by Phoenikakias- 13 replies
- 10k views
Last Friday has passed away Charles Wychgel, who participated also in this forum under his first name. He was a great palm collector and a great man, having one of the most extended palm collections in Europe. His garden is situated in southern Portugal. He made many seed donations both to individuals and to European Palm Society, helping it thus to raise needed funds to keep its web site alive. I only knew him a little, as I met him personally only once in the EPS 2012 meeting in Rome. So what I have just written is not based on friendship but rather on known deeds and achievements, which is imo the biggest honor of one's memory. My deepest sympathies to his family, and…
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RIP Christopher Baasch
by Kim- 7 replies
- 2.4k 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 Don Ellison
by Daryl- 3 replies
- 2.4k 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 GARY HAMMER, Founder, Worldwide Exotics
by DoomsDave- 3 replies
- 3.9k views
Today the Los Angeles Times announced the passing of Gary Hammer, 57, who was, among much else, the founder of the esteemed plant nursery, Worldwide Exotics in Lakeview Terrace, California, in the San Fernando Valley. Mr. Hammer was a very widely-traveled plant explorer, who made many trips to Mexico, Australia and South Africa and found many species of drought-tolerant plants that we enjoy today. On August 7, 2011, Mr. Hammer was struck and killed by a car as he crossed a dark street in Tempe, Arizona. He was born in Glendale, California, obtained an Ornamental Horticulture degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1976, and, after a brief career in banking (!) em…
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