Message from Gérard Bellan which the annelida at net.bio.net server refuses to
circulate for no obvious reason. Apologies for the delay. GBR.
Date sent: Thu, 8 Jan 2004 13:38:06 +0100
To: annelida at net.bio.net
From: Gérard BELLAN <gbellan at com.univ-mrs.fr>
Subject: Marian
It is in 1967, and during a journey to Europe, Doctor Marian PETTIBONE wished
to visit my Institution and see my Polychaete collection. When I displayed it,
I understood immediately that she considered that I had a very strange way of
preserving my Polychaetes! She had the generosity not to reveal this too much
and it appeared to me that she understood my reasons for doing so. Finally, we
spent two informal days together with my family.
In June 1968, before going with my wife, Denise Bellan-Santini, to Don Reish's
lab for a long toxicology stay, Marian received us at the Smithsonian. She
made it possible for us to visit the collections, introduced Denise to Jerry
Barnard, the Pope of Amphipoda, arranged that we could meet some specialists
of deep-sea fouling and that Denise could give a Seminar at the Smithsonian on
this subject! Marian took us to visit the best Museums along the Mall and she
invited us to dinner in a French restaurant so that we could keep a little bit
in touch with our Country!
Later, in the 70's, accompanied by our daughter Gaelle, we had the pleasure of
meeting Marian again during short stays, mostly for tourism, in Washington.
Gaelle remembers with great pleasure Marian's graciousness to her. Of course,
we had the pleasure of meeting Marian during Polychaete Conferences,
especially in Long Beach. Our last encounter was in April 1992. Denise and I
were in Washington for the Celebration of the late Dr Jerry L. Barnard, where
we had met in this same place 23 years earlier! Don Reish had brought back the
Jerry/Californian period. I got the opportunity to discuss with Marian about
some problems with Ophelia. She had clarified the synonymy of O. denticulata
and O. neglecta, two "good" species and she wished that Tom Perkins associate
me with his studies on some Ophelia from Florida.
I have had the privilege of meeting two great Dames of Polychaetology, Olga
Hartman and Marian Pettibone. Grâce leur soit rendue, but today, at least, I
allow myself to have a thought full of respectful affection for Marian. Adieu,
Marian !
Gérard Bellan
--
Dr. Gerard BELLAN
Directeur de recherche Emerite au CNRS
Centre d'Oceanologie de Marseille
Station marine d'Endoume
rue Batterie des Lions
13007 MARSEILLE (France)
tel.: +33 (0) 4 91 04 16 12
Fax: +33 (0) 4 91 04 16 35
e-Mail: gbellan at com.univ-mrs.fr
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