Thanks so very much for telling us the sad news of Sean's passing last Thursday and of your interesting friendship with him since 1993. You were extremely fortunate to have him as your gecko mentor!!
Carry the Phelsuma torch for Sean, Julie! Phelsuma klemmeri are so special :-}
Take Care,
Elizabeth
Subj: [Gecko] Sean McKeown - Gexer, Beloved Friend and Colleague
Date: 7/17/02 7:53:49 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Julie Bergman)
Reply-to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Gecko list)
Well gexers, I bear sad news. Fellow gexer Sean McKeown passed away last
Thursday from complications related to his heart transplant a couple
years ago. Sean was in his 50s, much too young to go so soon.
Sean McKeown was a good friend to me. I would like to tspeak to all of
you as gexers a little bit about our relationship - he was my gecko
mentor. I first spoke to him on the phone in 1993 while he was the
curator at the Fresno Zoo here in Northern California, USA. I had just
gotten a pair of P.m. grandis and was anxious to learn all about them
and anything he would tell me about Phelsuma (Day Geckos). He was truly
fascinated with Phelsuma as I continue to be. He called them the "jewels
of the Indian Ocean," and never a truer statement was made! He wrote the
beautiful "General Care and Maintenance of Day Geckos" and had spent
time observing and collecting them in Madagascar. He also co-wrote "The
General Care and Maintenace of Tokays and Related Geckos," and countless
other gecko and reptile papers. During his latter years he was on the
staff of Reptiles magazine.
Sean was a little gruff and short with me when I first spoke with him as
I'm sure he had phone calls like that all the time. I knew I would be
dedicated to geckos and particularly Phelsuma, however, he did not at
that time. I am much the same these days when folks call me and want to
start a "breeding program." LOL!
I had kept in contact with Sean ever since that time. I got to meet him
for the first time at the International Gecko Society first symposium in
Palm Springs, CA in 1993. Since that time he spent countless hours
talking to me about geckos, editing my papers on geckos and showing me
how to do a good job with my geckos, especially my Phelsuma. A few weeks
ago we were discussing how we could help gexers with tips and solutions
for their gecko health care issues for one of my upcoming gecko
projects, which he was to critique, as usual. His enthusiasm and
knowledge will be missed.
Finally, Sean was particularly fond of Phelsuma klemmeri, the Neon or
Yellow-Headed Day gecko. That man had excellent taste! If you haven't
seen a P. klemmeri, you are truly deprived. They are indeed stunning,
with yellow/greenish heads, and blue and black lengthwise down their
bodies. My vision of Sean now is in fields of Phelsuma, surrounded by
klemmeri.
I hope you all enjoyed reading about our special friendship. A mentor
is a special person to have, I hope you have the honor some day.
Sincerely,
Julie Bergman
http://www.geckoranch.com
GGA lifetime member
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lappert robert hubert
13.99 yo r.i.p. r.i.p.
