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----- Message d'origine -----
De : Theodore Held
Envoyés : 12.07.10 15:11
À : Discussion of aroids
Objet : [Aroid-l] Death of Julius Boos
Dear Friends, It is with great sadness that I report the passing this weekend of the incomparable Julius Boos. Even passive readers of this space will recognize the importance of this man for the world of aroids and in the vitality of the discussions that are recorded here. While we are blessed with a number of remarkable people in the International Aroid Society, few will argue that Julius was one of the most remarkable. Anyone fortunate enough to have met him personally will remember the radiance of his personality. He was just as ready to speak on equal terms with the greenest greenhorn as with seasoned aroid specialists steeped in decades of experience. I am grateful to have known him as a friend. Julius had many, many friends. Of course, we all knew him as an authority on aroids, especially regarding their practical cultivation and the fascinating interface of the plants with humans. He was a special expert in the world of edible aroid “chubas” (“chubas” is an endearing term invented by this aroid list and refers to how Julius pronounced the ordinary English “tubers” in his charming Trinidadian accent), taking advantage of his lifetime in South America, Florida, and the Caribbean islands, and his unapologetic love of food. We were fond of joking that if a dispute arose about the identity of an aroid “chuba”, we could always send a specimen to Julius and he would figure out what is was by taking a bite. Trinidadian by birth and inclination, his understanding of the natural history of tropical areas was profound. His interests were unlimited as far as I could tell. For last year’s International Aroid Society Annual Show, I was fortunate to have the opportunity of driving him from his home in West Palm Beach to Miami. Although already experiencing the effects of his cancer at that time, he spoke to me almost nonstop the entire way. Topics ranged widely. Invariably one thing reminded him of another and so the threads of conversation would wander here and there, but always coherent and never tedious. I should emphasize that Julius’s knowledge of his favorite topics was extensive, well-considered, and typically included a host of acute observations and facts that you would not find written down anywhere (except perhaps in one of his own writings). He involved himself in disputes on occasion with this or that “expert”. I would love to know his lifetime batting average in these differences of opinion. My bet is that Julius was right more often than he was wrong. All his conversation was interspersed with an amazing set of anecdotes drawn from his wide experience. Much of what he knew will die with him, of course. Many of his stories related to interesting individuals, now long dead, with particular knowledge lost to history. Several of these stories were recorded by him in past months and are available for all to hear on the web site of his friend and neighbor, Ted Knight (www.tedknight.com/julius/julius.htm). I recommend listening to them as they not only relate the particular history, but capture the cadence and beautiful accent that made Julius such an engaging raconteur. This site also hosts quite a few pictures of Julius and friends. Now we have lost two pillars of the International Aroid Society in a short month’s time: Julius Boos and Tricia Frank. We can only hope that new blood will take up the leadership roles to ensure the continued success of our organization into the future. This would be the finest memorial for the both of them. Readers here should also know how important Aroid-L was to Julius. In his prime (not so many months ago) he would be in the thick of extended back-and-forth discussions of identification clarifications and of mysteries being hashed out. Frequently the topic would shift slightly and involve any number of interesting tangents. Dry botanical terms would be explicated. Recipes for tasty island dishes incorporating “chubas” would be exchanged. Cultivation advice would be given. This life of the “net” was a huge part of what inspired Julius; and everyone who contributed helped pump up, even more, Julius’s already high energy level. In his waning days he would still read the posts, occasionally typing in some abbreviated response despite being so weak. Your postings inspired him to the last and made enduring his miserable disease easier. It is a sad time for all of us. As always, life will go on and all of us in the International Aroid Society hope that the upcoming show this fall will serve to continue Julius’s and Tricia’s work to inform the world of the deeper joys of keeping our favorite plants. May they both rest in peace and know that the work goes on. Julius is survived by his dear wife, Suzie. My thoughts are with her. Ted Held Detroit
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