This final issue of the International Aroid Society newsletter for the year (Vol. 41 No. 4 Dec 2019) contains a eulogy to Dr. Robert Dressler, who was a world famous orchidologist and long time associate of the Missouri Botanical Garden, written by his good friend, Dr. Thomas B. Croat (world famous aroidist also from the MOBOT).

Dr. Dressler was 92 and died at his home in Paraiso de Cartago, Costa Rica on October 15.

He lived here in Gainesville some years ago, down by the university campus. I never had the pleasure of meeting him. Perhaps some of you might have? He has several plants named after him, including Anthurium dressleri, which is one of the parents of this hybrid that I grow (A. radicals x dressleri).

I did, twice previously!
He was a legend in the Orchid World.

We lost another Orchid great a month or so back when Carlyle Leur passed away at 96 I think he was. He was still working in Orchid Taxonomy. I had the pleasure of hearing him speak back in the 80's at one of the Greater New York Orchid Society Shows at the Bronx Botanic Garden. No, come to think of it, it might have been at the World Financial Center when we combined the NY show with and Eastern Orchid Congress. That might have been 1989 or 90.
Brilliant man!

It seems all the people who were big in plants when I first started years ago are passing on. Ted Green is, I believe, 98. He is a hoya legend, many hoya on the market today were brought to market by him.

If feel the same way. Orchid friends, Orchid judges and orchid legends are dropping like flies. It just reminds me how old I am getting,
Both of my advisors in the judging program are deceased. The owners of two businesses that I worked for have passed.
But in a very large way, I am driven by my memories of each and every one of them when it comes to orchids. So many good stories, so many good memories, in my mind they live on! I am quite positive I will see everyone of them again some day but first I must earn my place, my chance to accomplish that.
It does shake me a little to my core when it happens. But hey, that's life, right?