Sad News

[Maggi Young]

English Members may be aware of the recent death of Keith Moorhouse, of Plumpton, Sussex. His family have sent the following obituary, with details of his funeral service.
Keith and his wife  have been SRGC mebers for a long time and we send our condolences to his family.


"Obituary

Keith Moorhouse age 74
born January 1st 1935 Holmfirth, West Yorkshire son of Ben and Ada Adelaide (nee White) Moorhouse, brother of Elizabeth and the late Edward
resident of Plumpton, East Sussex, for 48 years
died suddenly February 6th 2009 at Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath
studied at Kesteven Farm Institute, Caythorpe, Lincolnshire (where he met his first wife) followed by national service with REME becoming Sgt – where his interest in engineering and mechanics was born
lecturer in mechanical engineering at Writtle, Essex then at Plumpton Agricultural College, East Sussex, took a year out to gain a 1st class Hons B.Ed, retired as vice principal in 1990 after 29 years service
Fellow of the Association of Agricultural Engineers
(? external examiner for and member of City and Guilds of London)
Lewes District Council - represented Plumpton, Streat and Westmeston for over 30 years (1973-2003); vice chairman (1981/2), chairman (1982/3), leader of the council (1987-1991) and leader of the Conservative group (1991-2003)
former chairman and long term member of Plumpton Parish Council which he joined in 1969
long term member of Plumpton and District Horticultural Society
founder member Plumpton Footpath Society
trustee, National Alpine Garden Society
secretary and past chairman, Sussex Weald Alpine Garden Society and Central Sussex
Alpine Garden Society
awarded medal by AGS in 2008
member of Scottish Rock Garden Club, North American Rock Garden Society, Cyclamen Society, Saxifrage Society
married firstly 1960 Gillian Royce Robinson (died 1982) of Hagworthingham, Lincolnshire and secondly 1984 Edith Mary Feather of Broadchalke, Wiltshire
loving father of Alan, Edwin, Kathryn and John, father in law of Chris, Thomas and Kirsty, and grandpa of Hannah and Laura, Harry, Harvey and Mia, Sam and Rory.
Funeral for family and friends at St Michael’s Church, Plumpton on Monday February 27th 2009 at 1.45pm followed by cremation at Woodvale Crematorium, Brighton.  Family flowers only.  A service of thanksgiving will be held at St Michael’s Church, Plumpton on 2nd March 2009 at 1.45pm.  Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Leukaemia Research c/o R A Brooks and Sons, Haywards Heath tel 01444 454391."

This links to a press obit. for Keith...

http://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/lewes-district-news/Former-Lewes-District-Council-chairman.4973451.jp

edit on March 3rd: I hear that the memorial service for Keith, held yesterday at Plumpton was well attended on a beautiful Spring day . Tributes  were led by his son and many 'alpine' friends in attendence.

[David Nicholson]

I didn't know Keith Moorhouse personally but had heard of him and read about the valuable work he had done for the AGS but I share with him a Yorkshire birth in the same little town of Holmfirth on the outskirts of Huddersfield. I hope that those who did have the honour of knowing him personally, and may perhaps be able to attend his Memorial Service, are able to convey to his loved ones that his life and commitment touched so many.

[Maggi Young]

I am sorry to report the death, on Saturday 28th February 2009, of Jim Christie of Guardbridge in Fife.
Jim was a long standing SRGC Member who gave generous and constant service to the Club. He was particularly involved for many years with the seed distribution service, when that task was performed by  the Fife Group under Morris Wilson's direction. Jim was a terrific worker, spending long hours to ensure the supply of seeds to members around the world.
A quiet man, with a ready smile and a twinkling humour, Jim was a man to be admired  and will be greatly missed by his many friends in the Club.
Jim had recently been released from hospital in Edinburgh to spend his upcoming Diamond Wedding Anniversary with his very sweet wife Kate at the home of his daughter in Peebles, where he died on Saturday.
Our fondest condolences are sent to Kate and the Family.

[Maggi Young]

Not all of you will immediately recognise the name of James Christie, but believe me, Jim Christie was a very important member of the SRGC. For many years, as well as his tireless support of all Club activities, it was Jim who was responsible for sending out the seed exchange packets to an eager membership.
 Jim was a quiet, gentleman, held in high regard and great affection by all who met him.
Here is an appreciation of Jim from two of his oldest friends in the Club, Margaret and Henry Taylor.

James Christie

Our friend James Christie died on 28 February 2009 after a short illness. When we joined the SRGC in 1960, Jim was already winning prizes at the alpine flower show in the Marryat hall in Dundee. In those days only a railway bridge or ferry connected Fife to Dundee and he told us he brought plants on the train from Guardbridge, where he was an engineer in the paper mill. Living between St Andrews and Dundee, Jim was an active member of both those SRGC groups after he joined in 1957.
For twelve years Jim and his friend Morris Wilson were in charge of posting seed requests to members throughout the world. With such an obviously reliable character, the Post Office staff trusted Jim to weigh and stamp each package, saving them the task. We who helped Jim had to redo packages if we made them too heavy with bubble wrap. He did a stint on SRGC council and in 2003 was presented with our club's highest award, the SRGC Golden Jubilee Salver, for his dedicated seed distribution work.
Jim was a friendly burly chap originally from Maybole in Ayrshire. Born in 1926, he married Kate in 1949 and they had a daughter Sheila. We always knew Jim as a sober, serious and quiet man but remember Kate’s telling us of Jim’s arguments with Sheila whenever she came home dressed outlandishly from Art College. Kate is now staying in Peebles with Sheila and her husband Colin.
A calm deliberate man who made a very careful job of anything he touched, Jim grew and flowered the difficult Boykinia jamesii very successfully for many years - in a heap of old boiler ash. He was also proud of a magnificent Daphne arbuscula that used to grow below the front window until a window cleaner eventually stood on it! His plant interests stretched further than alpines; he had wide knowledge of trees and shrubs and as a Friend of St Andrews Botanic Garden he often guided visitors around.
We all miss a lovely man.

Margaret & Henry Taylor

Jim Christie