CARL DOUGLAS COOMES

COOMES, CARL DOUGLAS November 4, 1946 to July 17, 2012 Carl D. Coomes, the first son of Carl Roger Coomes and Jean Coomes, died suddenly Tuesday, July 17, 2012, at the age of 65. From a third generation farming family in California's Imperial Valley, Doug was a nurseryman, farmer, and widely known tropical landscape designer. He and his wife Joanne founded The Palm Company in Encinitas, California, in 1981. His signature landscapes have been installed in homes and businesses from Santa Barbara to La Jolla. Most notable among these is the world-famous Mirage Casino and Resort in Las Vegas, where he was responsible for all phases of the palm installation. This remains the single largest tropical palm project ever completed. In more recent years, Doug and his partners created what today is one of the largest lemon growing and packing operations in the United States, Beach Line Citrus. Beach Line has lately expanded its operations to include other Mediterranean crops, including dates, figs, and olives, on its vast ranch in Niland, California. During more than 30 years of success growing his nursery and farm, Doug was happiest walking the rows, inspecting the growing grounds of his two main crops: palm trees and lemons. Unfortunately, he will not see the ultimate fruits of his labor in these pursuits, and he will miss seeing his eight precious grandchildren mature into adulthood. Likewise, these children will miss out on a treasure trove of stories, knowledge and wisdom that could only have been imparted by this larger-than-life man. Those who knew Doug will agree that he was an extremely intelligent and passionate man who often held court on a wide array of topics. On seemingly every issue he had a strong opinion which he was eager to share, and he was usually at the center of the party. He was most animated when it came to his favorite subjects: politics, history, sports, German wine, and of course, his family. His zest for life, his stories, and his powerful presence are legendary and cannot possibly be eulogized. He was an experience, a force, a conundrum. Those who loved him are suffering a great loss but retain a universe of memories from which to draw upon. Doug always said that memory creation is the most important of life's endeavors. Thanks for the memories Doug; it was one hell of a ride. Doug was predeceased by his father, Carl R. Coomes. He is survived by his mother Jean Coomes of El Centro, his brother Gary and sister Lynda Davies of El Centro, his wife Joanne of Encinitas, and his seven children: Carl D. Coomes, Jr., Sean Coveney, Dan Coveney, Sarretta McDonough, Alysa Jones, Richard Coomes, and Joseph Coomes. He is also survived by his eight grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to The Nephcure Foundation or the American Heart Association.