22 April 1938 to 24 January 2022.
Julian was the Patron of OSCOV, an Emeritus Judge on the OSCOV Judging Panel, and the driving force behind the establishment of OSCOV in the early 1990s.
Julian died peacefully in the early morning of Monday 24 January 2022. Julian and Frances operated the ‘Atlantis Orchids’ nursery in Melbourne for many years, and were regularly involved in numerous OSCOV Orchid Societies.
Julian & Frances were granted many orchid awards – including for Cymbidium Second Renaissance ‘Jenny Wren’, Lycaste Macama, and Cymbidium Jungle Odyssey ‘Tiger Stripe’.
Julian’s influence in the Orchid World was duly recognised by him being granted an Australian Orchid Foundation ‘Award of Honour’ in 2018 (www.australianorchidfoundation.org.au/julian-coker/), a John Pascoe Fawkner Gold Medal Award in 2021 (www.rhsv.org.au), and North East Melbourne Orchid Society Life Membership in 2020.
Julian is survived by his wife Frances, sister Nola, children Jennifer, Michael & Helen, grandchildren Quinn, Jasper & Olivia, and as ‘Big J’ for Chris, Jon, Veevi, Gemma & Purvan.