A fine Forumist is lost to us: Johannes Höller (Hoeller) has passed away

[ranunculus]

It is with great sadness that I must inform the Forum of the passing, yesterday morning, of long-time member and magnificent plantsman; Johannes Höller.  Hans has been suffering so bravely for so long and I'm certain that we would all wish to send our condolences and love to family and friends.  May I personally thank Karl Plaimer for informing us so promptly about this tragic news.
I'm certain that members will have their own memories of Hans to relate to the forum.  Rest in peace dear friend.

[Maggi Young]

A fine Forumist is lost to us indeed:  Johannes Höller, known here as  Hans Hoeller has passed away after a long  illness, as Cliff says, and this is the loss of a terrific plantsman and friend to all in the Forum: a man who would share his experiences and his plants, freely, and with good grace.
We shall miss him very much and the good wishes of us all will go to his wife and family.

[David Pilling]

If you want to see his postings:

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=profile;u=43;sa=showPosts

I have enjoyed some of these.

[Maggi Young]

Thanks for that link, David.
Yes, Hans shared many pictures and many plants with us over the years..... and we were all delighted when he escaped harm from the too frequent avalanches near his home. This is a sad end for a man still in his prime.

[cohan]

i'm very sorry to hear this! all the best to his family and friends..
cohan

[Maggi Young]

Hans' very good friend Karl Plaimer, will make his own tribute to Hans in the days to come but in the meantime Karl has sent  this photo sent to me of Hans photographing one of his favourite wildflowers.... Cypripedium calceolus, at Weissenbachtal in 2007

[David Nicholson]

Hans and I had never met but we conversed regularly through the Forum and via PM mainly about Primulas on which he was an expert. I valued his expertise; I valued his generosity but more than that I valued his friendship and he will be sorely missed. My sincere condolences to his family.

[Ragged Robin]

This news is a complete shock to me, I had no idea that Hans was so ill and my thoughts are with his family and Karl, his great friend, in his untimely loss.

I followed their posts on trips to the Austrian Alps, botanising and collecting, and found the habitats they visited fascinating.  So much so that when he offered collected seed in a post I asked and received a package brimming with packets with handwritten details in pen and ink of where they had been collected and what conditions they liked.  These, my first Alpines grown from seed have never left my side as they grew into small plants this year and I examine them daily.  His manner was one found so often in this wonderful Forum of giving so generously in every way and I will endeavour to keep them growing strongly in his memory.

[Lesley Cox]

I too, was unaware of Hans' illness. I had promised him, and hoped to be able to send this coming southern autumn, seed of Gentiana depressa. We talked of it two years ago but the plant has not obliged in that time.

[Anthony Darby]

He will be missed. His pictures of cypripediums lit up many a dull day.

[johnw]

Sad indeed. We will miss his wisdom and expertise as well as his superb postings on and images of Lilium and Cypripedium.

johnw

[Viola]

Dear friends.

The following pictures are devoted to my good friend and great plantlover Johannes Höller, who died at the 6th of November 2010 after a long lasting battle against an invincible disease.

Primula and Orchids were his dears, apart from many other plants. Hannes was the most strenuous member of our alpine-group, he will be missed a lot by all of us. I am sad.

Karl

[ranunculus]

Many, many thanks for these beautiful images, Karl.

[David Nicholson]

Susan Tindalll at Timpany Nursery lists a Primula marginata named for Hans.

[Ragged Robin]

Yes, thank you Karl for posting these images showing Hannes amongst the plants he loved so well - the one amongst the crocus is wonderful.