Many Many Thanks to our Founding Member Richard Youel

For as long as I can remember, Richard Youel has been an important part of the Washington Butterfly Association which was founded in 1999. I was one of many people who took butterfly classes from Idie Ulsh at Seattle Audubon in the mid 1990s. Because of this, I was invited to join WBA in its first year. I especially enjoyed the field trips to search for as many butterflies as we could find.

Richard was one of the trip leaders / carpool drivers. While visiting with him on the ride to Corral Pass, he found out that I knew how to make web pages. He recruited me to create the WBA website and to help put out the G’Num newsletter. Some of the field trips that he led were to Corral Pass near Mount Rainier, Quartz Mountain in Kittitas County, Fish (Tuquala) Lake near Salmon La Sac, and Reecer Creek near Ellensburg.

Richard was WBA president from summer 2002 to summer 2004 and again from summer 2010 to summer 2012. He has also served on the board as member-at-large and secretary. For the past 10 years or so, Richard has been quietly supporting us by checking the post office box, collecting our WBA mail and depositing membership checks to the bank. All of this and he stayed active with Seattle Audubon (now called Birds Connect Seattle) with Christmas bird counts and neighborhood walks at Seward Park.

Three years ago he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma which required a bone marrow transplant. He came through it successfully gaining some curly hair in the recovery which he enjoyed while it lasted. He is a retired architect and lives in Seattle on Queen Anne Hill with his wife Connie.

The founding members of WBA were: Idie Ulsh, Jon Pelham, Bob Pyle, David Branch, Dave Nunnallee, Jo Nunnallee, Richard Lindstrom, Tom O’Connell and Richard Youel.

Appreciating Al Wagar

Al Wagar grew up a bright and outdoorsy kid in Colorado. His interest in nature combined with his intellect directed him to a career in research in outdoor recreation and urban forestry with the U.S. Forest Service where he witnessed profound changes in focus there over his years. One thing led to another and ultimately to a research professorship in the College of Forest Resources at the University of Washington. At the same time, his practical application side involved him in trail and restoration organizations and boots-on-the-ground projects. That is approximately when he showed up at a WBA meeting hoping to learn more about Lepidoptera.

One of my first memories of Al was his showing me videos he had been shooting of local birds and wondered if that might have application for us. We went on to see Al’s videos of our programs and field trips become integral to WBA. They are not only an important sharing of events for people who could not otherwise attend but a historical record. Al is always about spreading the word and particularly to young people. For example, his imaginative, inventive and practical side produced a fun butterfly identification game for outreach table events. It is complete with buttons to push and lights to reward success. His experience with organizations was something I saw as helpful to growth and development of WBA.

He applied himself to participation on the Board and when I asked if he would be willing to be President he agreed reluctantly. His experience and outlook were important and valuable at the leadership level. He was consistently there on field trips with video camera in hand getting the people in action and the “bug” in the frame. Al brings enthusiasm, energy and humor where ever he goes. And when he jumps in he goes in 100 percent whether at the leadership level or the practical contribution on the ground – all at the same time. He is full spectrum. That includes humor with jokes he actually can remember from however far back and puns to make you groan. You are generous to share all of that with us, Al. We appreciate it and thank you.

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