North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Doreen Howard" <gardendiva@charter.net>]

It's with heavy heart that I share this news.  Tom Vorbeck died this 
evening.

He had been in Memorial Hospital in Springfield, IL for several weeks.  He 
developed a staph infection that destroyed two of his heart valves.  He had 
been on antibiotic IVs for weeks, so the infection could be purged from his 
body in preparation for heart surgery.  Today surgeons inserted two 
artificial heart valves to replace the faulty ones.  According to Jill, he 
made it through the lengthy surgery, but they couldn't stabilize him 
afterwards.

Jill isn't answering the home phone tonight.  I'm sure she needs time with 
loved ones and time to reflect.

Personally, I always thought of Tom as a Renaissance man, a gentle soul and 
a fountain of apple knowledge.
Doreen Howard