Very, very sad news re: Eric Muehlbauer

[Heather]

Hey everyone,

I'm so sorry to be the messenger of this sad news. This morning, Eric's son, Stefan posted on Facebook that Eric passed away yesterday afternoon. I think most of our members know that he had been battling cancer for the last year or so.

Eric was one of the very first people that I notified when John and I started the forum - Member #5. As I recall, he'd also been banned over at the other forum and hence was part of the reason we started Slippertalk in the first place. His experience and enthusiasm for orchids was always apparent, as was his sense of humor. He was just an all around nice guy. I cannot begin to express in words how much he will be missed here.

RIP Eric.

Here is what his son posted this morning on Facebook.

This is Stefan - one of Eric's sons, posting for him.
Dad passed away yesterday afternoon in the ICU at New York Hospital. He was comfortable and had family with him throughout his last days. This is a huge loss to all who knew and loved him. Dad asked that we post here to let you know, should this happen.
Please remember Eric for all of the amazing things he was and the wonderful times he had. He lived life to the fullest and had no shortage of passions.
As a family, we are dealing very privately with this tragic loss. If you would like to do something in his honor, the only thing dad wanted was to be fondly remembered. If you would like to give something to remember him, Dad was passionate about preserving the world around him, and was a supporter of the Nature Conservancy (www.nature.org).

 

[AdamD]

I am so sorry to hear that. In the short time that I 'knew' him, he was a very upbeat guy, very passionate about orchid growing and conservation. His presence will be greatly missed, as it has been recently.

I hope that when my time comes, a part of me, my energy, memory, will live on through my plants. That's the best I can hope for personally. I hope the same energy and memory can shine through in what he has left behind. It appears that is the case.

R.I.P. Eric

 

[Lmpgs]

Deeply sorry for the loss of Eric Muelhbauer. My sympathy to his family and all relatives. He'll be missed.

 

[Justin]

very sad to hear this news.

 

[mormodes]

RIP Eric. He'll be missed.

 

[atlantis]

Sad news. I wish I had more vocabulary to express my condolence to family and friends.

 

[emydura]

That is very sad news. I wasn't aware he was sick so this comes as a great shock. Eric was a valuable contributor to this forum so he will be missed by all of us. RIP Eric.

 

[Rick]

That is sad.

I can't add anything that hasn't already been said.

I'll miss him.

 

[ehanes7612]

sorry to hear

 

[mrhappyrotter]

I haven't been here very long, but I've been around enough to know that he was a great contributor to this site. Sad to hear he's gone.

 

[Carkin]

What a terrible loss. Thank you for letting us know.

 

[Hera]

Wow, I didn't know he was sick. I think I have one of his plants from the auction. So sad to hear the news.

 

[NYEric]

I was wondering why I hadn't heard from him about the Paph vietnamense I have for him. He was well known throughout the Paph community and a NYC orchid friend. Thanks for sharing. This is very sad news. RIP.

 

[cnycharles]

I'm very sorry to hear about this, didn't know things had gone that far. He was also one of the few people who would regularly reply to posts on the OLD and OGD and would always sign off with what was currently in bloom. His What's fer Dinner posts were always drool-worthy and I will miss his contributions. I'd hoped to go fishing with him one day ...... God bless his family

 

[PaphMadMan]

I didn't know Eric well, but our occasional online interactions go back to orchid message boards in the mid 1990s, perhaps even to AOL before it truly offered internet access. Nice guy, smart, as crazy about orchids as anyone. The Nature Conservancy is usually first on my list of charitable contributions anyway, and I'm not surprised to learn of Eric's support for it. I'm making an extra donation this weekend. I encourage others to do the same.

 

[Paph_LdyMacBeth]

This is very sad news indeed. Eric was always a great contributor, so positive and willing to share. His absence in his illness has been noticed and he will surely be missed.
My condolences to his family.

Sent from my BlackBerry Bold 9900 using Tapatalk

 

[SlipperFan]

I am so sorry, and express my condolences to Eric's family. His contributions to this and other orchid forums will live on, but he will be missed.

 

[eOrchids]

Wow!

He will be greatly missed!

My condolences to his family!

RIP Eric!

 

[abax]

Eric was one of the first posters on ST to welcome me and answer a question
or two via PM. I've missed his presence of late and am so sad that he's
gone.

 

[Candace]

I'm so saddened to hear the news:<