I like the picture, Carol. David has a beer in one hand and a bird in the other. We all now know there will be Hoyas in Heaven.
Cheers!
David Liddle Has Passed
Mel,
I love the thought of Hoyas in Heaven! Now I'll have to try a little harder to be good.
Doug
I only just got home today and was unpleasantly surprised to see this post. Ironically, I was in Cairns last week and didn't have time to call in on David. Although, it would have been too late anyway.
It was only late last May that I met David at his nursery. Really, all the result of Carol's obsession with Hoya gigas. On my way back from Papua New Guinea I called in at his place and we chatted away for a few hours. He was a man of many stories, and all extremely interesting.
Although Hoyas was a love of his, he was very knowledgeable on so many fronts. One example was his knowledge of fish species in the area where I live, about 2,000 kilometres from where he lives. Not only was he able talk generally about our local fish, he also knew their scientific names. He was virtually a 'walking encyclopaedia'.
He had travelled widely searching for Hoyas and many other things. Had a detailed knowledge of some of the most remote and isolated places. He was certainly a man who had lived his life to the full. And was a very unassuming, easy going and hospitable man.
But he was a large man, so it's easy to surmise that he was a candidate for heart problems. Thoughts are with his family for their great loss. And the loss is also great for all of us who had so much to learn from his wealth of experience and wisdom.
TB - how fortunate you are/were to spend time with him! He certainly was a man of much breadth...physically as well as intellectually. His curiosity was endless.
I would always send David and family Friendship Bread for the holidays. I still plan on sending Iris and Adair some this year. It's still a shock to me.
Blessings,
Awanda
So sorry to hear about David. A big loss for us all. I have ordered hoya cuttings from him twice and of course I expected him to always be there for cuttings and info. It's amazing how close you can get to people who live across the world after e-mailing a few times. I felt like I was becoming a part of his world and as I watch my hoyas grow, he becomes a part of mine.
I spoke with Iris yesterday. They have had the Memorial Service but won't know the "cause of death" for another couple of weeks....but it was fast. Davids' best friend is there helping them with the orders and the Quarentine House. Adair lives at home so she has good company always. I was blown over by the fact that David was 66 and she is 60 (still looks 25). She hopes everyone will be patient as she takes computer lessons from Adair!
Iris loves her work and will go back but only 4 days a week (she is a Special Education teacher) so she can oversee the houses...and they do have a parttime worker. There is minimal work in the Hoya house as they are just growing like heck...but work nonetheless. They have a number of exotic birds, as well, and Jungle Fowl (a very hardy chicken)which Iris takes to a monly market and sells. An amazing woman of many dimensions who has lost one very important one.
Carol
Wow, Australia is good to its inhabitants. Iris really does look like she is in her mid to late 20's. The fact that she is 60 just blows me away.
It's good to hear that her son is at home to help and to keep her company. I'm sure it's almost overwhelming without David there.
If you speak to her again, let her know that everyone here in the USA sends our heartfelt sympathy.
Thanks,
Mike
I did, Mike...I told her that the news was spread quckly and cast a pall over all of us who still can't believe he is gone!!! Her comment was, "I am lucky, I have such good friends". So you see...she knows!