Arthur A. Chadwick’s passing

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Sorry, I should have said this was from A.E. Chadwick sent out in an email. I just posted it here for everyone to know. You can probably leave your condolences on their website or FB page as he will not be see them here. Sorry for the confusion.

Open Letter to Chadwick Clients

On June 2, 2021, the orchid world lost one of the greats and our company lost its co-founder and resident authority on cattleyas, A.A. Chadwick. Much has been written about my father, but I thought I would share a little story that isn’t widely known.

I could tell you about his TV appearance on the Martha Stewart show in 2006, in which he upstaged the gardening diva, or his encyclopedic knowledge of the 800 rare orchids in his collection, or how he hand-built two hobby greenhouses for himself and three commercial greenhouses for us out of redwood using no power tools.

I could tell you about the cattleya plant that he selected in 1943 that went on to stardom fifty years later, or how he planted microscopic orchid seed in sterilized jars on his kitchen table using pressure cookers, or how he waited as long as 20 years for his seedlings to bloom then photographed each flower…the stories are endless.

But instead, I’ll share this little snippet.

Despite the fact that he regularly gave his "extra” orchids (thousands over the years) to the company to sell, he was never able to put a price on any of them because he was so sentimentally attached to every single plant. For him, it was a passion. For us, it was an opportunity to share his life’s work with the world.

Sincerely,
Art and Staff at Chadwick Orchids

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/timesdispatch/name/arthur-chadwick-obituary?id=5812998
 
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Very sad news. A life well lived and a passion beautifully shared with so many. I feel grateful, as well as sad, hoping his family can take some comfort in the many blessings he left behind.
 
Only his physical self is gone. His true mortality lives on in his achievements and his family and friends. Loss is always sad but a piece of his soul greets you in with blossoms flowering.
 
Your writings were my only source on how to grow my Cattleyas, and your words served me well! Thank you for your tremendous impact on me and the rest of the orchid world! You will live on through your countless works and plants, A. A. Chadwick!
 
My deepest condolences to the family.

I am at loss for words how much this man has molded my cattleya growing skills through his book, that I poured hours into. I have read this book more times than any other orchid book in my vast orchid library (possibly for 15 years or more now).

I can honestly say he 'taught' me how to appreciate their beauty and set my love for the species. And that is how I learnt to build a collection you see today.

His words are etched in my memory forever. A tribute to his influence. I am sure I am not alone.

RIP AA Chadwick ...
 

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