VALE ROGER BROWN 26/6/1931 - 18/9/2021
F
or many supporters, Trees For Life is more than an organisation, it’s a community of like-minded and interested people and a great labour of love. One of our community elders, Roger Brown, passed away this year and those who worked closest with him would like to recognise and thank him, and his family, for his extraordinary contribution. Roger was a stalwart and mentor, he was extremely knowledgeable and had a disarming and wicked sense of humour. I know he is missed by many. Vicki-Jo Russell Revegetation Services Manager, 2015-present Roger was already a volunteer grower when he joined the team of Seed Bank volunteers shortly after the office moved to Pasadena. At that time we increased the volunteer team to two people, and for the next 20 years, Roger and Mary Taylor, were my wonderful Wednesday volunteers. They cleaned batches of seed, booked them in, weighed the seed into small packets and kept records and paperwork in order. Roger's attention to detail was thorough. Indeed, on
occasions some others in the team found Roger's corrections of spelling and commas a little too thorough! However, I loved his precision and the challenges he gave me. Roger's dedication remained strong even when his health did not, finishing in the Seed Bank when the office closed for the first COVID-19 lockdown. At the end of that lockdown Mary was able to return to the task, but Roger was not. If you have had any involvement with the Tree Scheme since the late 90s, it's probable that you have handled plants for which Roger had a hand in cleaning, weighing and sorting the seed. It’s wonderful that these plants will keep growing for many years to come as a memorial to Roger. Bruce Smith Seed Bank Manager, 1995-2017 I had the privilege of working with Roger Brown in the Seed Bank. He was a very loyal and dedicated volunteer, and being a scientist, always paid close attention to accuracy, bringing his own scales for weighing the seeds. He was a very intelligent and scholarly man with a 11
PhD in crystallography, though he once told me that had he followed another discipline it could well have been entomology, and he always closely examined any insects lurking among the seeds. He was a stickler for correct English spelling and grammar, with which, having been an English teacher, I readily concurred. He travelled widely and was a person of many interests and we often had fascinating discussions about local and world affairs. He shared his wife Beverley’s passion for the arts and always kept me abreast of the Adelaide arts scene. At lunch time, Roger would drive down to IKEA for a bottomless coffee. He often returned with an unusual plant in a pot, and though he admitted he didn’t need any more plants, he was often tempted to buy just one more. After a day of work, Roger would give me a ride into the city, an opportunity for more companionable conversation. Roger was a good man, and a good friend. Thank you, Roger. Mary Taylor Seed Bank volunteer & Gold Member, 1989-present
