Tony James passed away this morning, Friday 4 November 2016.
Tony would have been very well known to many Daffodil growers throughout the world. A very active member of the Daffodil Society in the UK, a Vice- President who served on the Committee for many years; organiser of the lottery which was an important source of income to the Society. He was a founder member of the Society’s Northern Group and was instrumental in getting George Tarry to grow Daffodils.
Tony travelled many times to conventions and shows in the United States, New Zealand and Australia and was a keen photographer whose results can be viewed many times on Daffseek.
Our thoughts today are with his widow Pat and family.
Sad days for our daffodil friends in the UK. First we lose Clive, and now Tony. These losses create a huge hole in the daffodil family.
Tony had indeed visited the US many times, and it was Paul’s and my honor to host him after one of the ADS conventions many years ago.
Our sympathy to Pat and his family.
Mary Lou
Mary Lou express our thoughts very nicely; my heart aches for the losses suffered in the UK this week.
Tony was another fine gentlemen and we so enjoyed his visits to the US very much.
My deepest sympathy to Pat and his family; both personal and his daffodil family.
Phyllis
Losing Clive Postles was a severe blow. Then, losing Tony James makes it nearly insufferable. Two of the most admired men in The Daffodil Society are gone. But what are not gone are the memories they leave. My best wishes to Pat James.
Bob
I am grieving for Pat, but also for myself. I had always admired Tony, and the two of them became dear friends on that wonderful New Zealand trip we shared four years ago.
Pat, who privately confessed, “I really don’t much care about daffodils,” looked after Tony the whole trip, giving the best gift anyone can to a loved one–she made it possible for him to do this one (which they knew would be the last) just as always, working endlessly helping him get all of his beautiful photographs.
One day Tony decided he’d skip the tour, resting so he could talk to some other notables arriving late that day. Pat came alone with us, and we were in the open fields at some garden, and Graham Brumley’s wife had wandered away, halfway across the field of daffodils. “I’ll get her!” Pat exclaimed, and flew after her like an Olympic sprinter, free as a bird.
Then, the next day, she was back at her dedication, making Tony’s life as a photographer of many beautiful daffodils possible once more.
Loyce McKenzie
It is with broken hearts that we say goodbye to yet another daffodil treasure, our friend, Tony James. He appeared to be a quiet patient man and always carried a camera. We met Tony at an ADS Convention in Ashville North Carolina where he had a problem with his hearing aid. We found a business that would do repairs so off Tony, Ben and I went with Tom and Maureen Handley too. Tony’s hearing aid was fixed free of charge and the five of us enjoyed a wonderful lunch and afternoon.
Early on, we appreciated Tony’s photography with his beautiful daffodil photos he posted on Daffnet. When we first started working on DaffSeek, we did not realize that a short email to Tony asking for his permission to use his photos would result in a multitude of photo CDs! But the real find was when we asked Tony to conduct tests on DaffSeek. At first he was not sure if he could do this, but something told us he was the perfect person for the job. Tony’s feedback and test results were instrumental in delivering a solid, bug-free DaffSeek system. We are forever indebted to him.
We have always enjoyed seeing Tony and Pat whenever possible. Part of our 2008 World Daffodil Convention trip was attending the Harrogate Show. Tony took Ben and I on an auto tour around the area and then delivered us to a wonderful tea room, “Betty’s Cafe Tea Room”.
Our last visit with Tony and Pat was when we were in New Zealand for the 2012 World Convention. What fun it was to watch Tony take photos of the Premiers at Hamilton with Pat standing by holding background material. We will miss this thoughtful gentleman who charmed us with his photographic talents and his special contributions to the daffodil world.
Pat, we are sending you our very best!
Ben and Nancy