Three Passings

Chris Beytes

The horticulture industry has lost three respected gentlemen in recent months.

Michael “Mike” Leider was just 54 when he passed away May 24 after a battle with cancer. Mike’s family owns Leider Greenhouses in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. His parents are Jim and Peggy Leider; Peggy passed away earlier this year, also from cancer. Mike had his own wholesale business, selling tropicals and other plants to customers in Chicagoland, such as the Chicago Botanical Garden.

Dan Deimeke, long-time sales representative for Nexus Greenhouses, passed away June 8 after an extended illness. He was just 55. He was known as “Dano” and “Danny Boy” among his friends and colleagues, who were numerous.

Not quite as young, but equally loved and respected, was Francis “Sonny” Janoski, who passed away June 6 at age 79. He and his wife, JoAnn, founded Janoski Farm and Greenhouse in Clinton, Pennsylvania, in 1962. We learned about Sonny’s passing from his son-in-law, Ken Swimkoski, who happens to be the Ball Seed sales rep in western Pennsylvania. GT