One of the stalwarts of East Hills Group, Hugh Stacy, died on 5 March 2019, his 83rd birthday.
Hugh was a very active and valued member of the Australian Plants Society and its forerunner, the Society for Growing Australian Plants, for many years. He was the State President from 1978 to 1980 and State Treasurer from 1989 to 1996. In 1994 he was awarded life membership of the Society in recognition of his contribution.
Hugh’s contribution to our own district group was also much valued. I am sure we all have memories of him discussing a plant or plant family and how amazed we were by the amount of research that he had done to discover this information. Hugh possessed a wealth of knowledge on so many native plants, and often at our plant table could provide detailed information about plants that others had brought along.
Hugh was also recognised as a skilled propagator, and many of us have plants in our gardens – particularly hakeas – that he had propagated. These are a living reminder of him.
Members of East Hills Group attended a thanksgiving service for Hugh at the Lugarno–Peakhurst Uniting Church on Wednesday 13 March, and the large gathering of his family and friends also included APS members from other groups. The service included beautiful musical interludes in recognition of another of Hugh’s great interests. Other members of East Hills Group and members of APS who are well known to East Hills Group had attended Hugh’s funeral service at Woronora that morning.
Hugh’s genial company, enthusiasm for native plants and extensive botanical knowledge will be greatly missed.
Graham Fry
President, East Hills Group