Jeffrey R. Crandall (1939–2013)

[Scott Zona]

This sad news from Bill Hemmer:

Jeffrey R. Crandall (1939–2013)

For those of you who can remember way back when: Teddy Buhler got Jeff to join the Palm Society (now the IPS) during our first palm sale at Fairchild Tropical Garden (now Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden). Jeff just decided to help out, bringing large purchases to customers’ cars with his trusty wheelbarrow. "Oh we must get Jeff to join the society," said Teddy. When our friend Paul Drummond became president in 1980 and held the 1982 Biennial in Miami and Key West (and now it comes around again in 2014!), I asked Jeff if he would like to help pull the Biennial together. I was Treasure at that time, and assured Paul that it will get done better than ever before. Those were the days without computers and e-mail, so Jeff typed a personal letter to each person who ask for a registration form to fill and sent a second letter acknowledging receipt of the registration. Most people were impressed with the individual letters. The Biennial of 1982 all came together and was a hit during Thanksgiving week. Later on Jeff helped organize a trip to “The Retreat,” the Langlois estate in Nassau, Bahamas. He was a helper, never wanted to be on any committee or board, he just enjoyed helping others. Jeff passed away September 28th, 20013. Parkinson's disease finally got to him. – Bill Hemmer