In Memoriam: Steve Lucas (Photopro)

Discussion in 'Araceae' started by lorax, Mar 27, 2011.

  1. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Steve Lucas, age 64, of Siloam Springs, Arkansas passed away on
    January 13, 2011. Steve Lucas was currently serving on the IAS Board
    of Governors and as Corresponding Secretary. Steve was passionate
    about plants and passionate about people, which made his role as
    secretary a perfect match. Steve enjoyed getting to know new members
    of the Society and hearing about their interests.

    Many members felt as though they knew Steve very well because of his
    communication through emails, mailing lists, plants forums and yes,
    even Facebook. Steve enjoyed bringing like-minded people together to
    discuss plants, animals and nature, in general.

    About ten years ago, Steve moved from Florida to Arkansas. He knew
    that the plants he had grown in his yard in Florida would not survive
    the cold winters of Arkansas, but he was determined to continue
    growing tropical plants. Steve had a tropical atrium built onto the
    back of his home in Siloam Springs, Arkansas and began a website
    (www.exoticrainforest.com <http://www.exoticrainforest.com>), where he
    posted pictures of atrium and information on many of the plants that
    he grew (most of them aroids). His website gradually produced a huge
    following of people seeking information about aroids. It was Steves
    joy to answer questions about the plants he loved and his wonderful
    atrium. Those who had the opportunity to visit Steve in his home knew
    him to be a very generous person, sharing cuttings of many of his
    plants with those who were interested.

    Recently Steve has been influential in the formation of the MidAmerica
    chapter and working to increase the membership of the Society. He will
    be remembered as a great voice in the Society and an unforgettable
    friend to many.

    - Zach DuFran, Corresponding Secretary, International Aroid Society

    ------

    Steve Lucas was something akin to a human dynamo, a seemingly tireless
    individual whose commitment to the International Aroid Society was
    second only to that for his family. We in the IAS have experienced a
    great loss in his passing.

    Probably the thing that will stick most in my mind about Steve as a
    plantsman was his effort to marry the two related but different worlds
    of the scientific and the horticultural. His sources on both sides of
    the divide were varied and numerous. One need only review his article
    in the latest /Aroideana/ (Volume 33), defining in plain English
    numerous technical botanical terms, or wander through his excellent
    web site, Exotic Rainforest, to see how seriously he took explicating
    the arcane world of technical jargon. His view was that knowledge of
    what science understands would enhance the growing experience for
    those of us who are not botanical professionals.

    Much of his effort was directed to helping sort out, for the lay aroid
    aficionado, the complex world of species identification. As we in the
    IAS well know, the "true" identities of many of our plants are
    debatable even among the few dedicated taxonomists working with the
    aroids. When we venture out into the commercial and hobbyist world we
    find a tangle of misunderstandings, historical error, inertia, and
    sometimes even outright deception when it comes to naming our plants
    with certainty.

    Steve Lucas was a member of many on-line discussions and was
    relentless in his insistence that proper identifications be made, at
    least for those who should care that it be done right. After all,
    knowing what plant you actually have will assist you in finding
    correct cultural information so that you will be successful. Besides,
    it burns all of us to hear that some innocent person has paid a
    handsome sum for a purportedly rare species only to find that it is
    identical to a $15 plant at Home Depot. While it is probably fanciful
    to imagine that a day will come when the names of all our plants will
    be correct, without the pesty scrutiny of those committed to truth the
    situation would be hopeless.

    Steve was also an enthusiast for growing plants himself and enjoying
    the efforts of others to maintain a healthy and attractive individual
    plants or complex gardens. Pictures of his own greenhouse are abundant
    at the Exotic Rainforest site and are well worth the time for those
    who appreciate the beauty of a well-grown assembly.

    I have attached here a picture of Steve conversing with our old friend
    Julius Boos at the 2009 IAS Show at Fairchild Gardens. They were
    simply making their way back from lunch and became engaged in some
    animated discussion about a plant (and likely not even an aroid) they
    had come across. This picture reminds me of the both of them and their
    unbounded interest in nearly everything wonderful and amazing in the
    world.

    Steve was also a friendly and outgoing ambassador for aroids and the
    other things that he loved. His quiet southern accent and vast life
    experiences made for easy conversation. As our Corresponding Secretary
    he always greeted each new member with a welcoming note. He wished
    fervently for an expanded IAS membership based on a love of our plants
    and informed by the best that science can offer. I hope we can keep
    that spirit as others move in to take over his responsibilities.

    - Ted Held
     
  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Thanks for the update and epitaph.
     

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