Neil Sterling Weikel

Neil Sterling Weikel died February 22, 2026 after persisting through the increasingly novel neurological challenges of Alzheimer's disease. He passed peacefully and gracefully while holding his daughter's hand at his longtime home in Los Angeles, perched above Highland Park in the hills he lovingly nicknamed "Garvanza Heights". No stranger to challenge and perseverance, he was born July 11, 1938 in The Dalles, OR to Esther Chamberlin Weikel and Ivan W Weikel of Condon, OR, where there was no hospital. Esther was a devoutly religious woman employed as a secretary and Ivan ("Ike"/"Wike") was a soil conservationist who later joined the Army. During World War II, Neil's father served in the Philippines, was captured during the Battle of Bataan, began his long march and was presumed dead. Neil and his mother settled in Corvallis, OR near her parents and she worked at Oregon State University. After 41 months as a POW in Japanese prison camps his father returned home emaciated and malnourished, yet eventually built a house for them that stands to this day.

Neil graduated from Corvallis High School in 1956. He served in the Navy Reserve on the USS Hector, reaching the rank of Draftsman Third Class. After active duty he attended the University of Oregon and graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture.

After college Neil lived in Portland and Seattle, and sang in the Seattle Chorale where he met Nancy Schwiebert. Neil and Nancy were married and moved to Southern California where they would have a baby girl before separating. Starting over, he worked in the gardens of Hollywood notables, did commercial print and fashion modeling, researched and photographed native plants and ecosystems, contributed to early publications and studies of native trees and chaparral, and made many drawings and slides. He taught part time at community colleges, Cal State Polytechnic University and 29 years at UCLA in landscape architecture, horticulture, and plant identification. He was happy to share his vast knowledge of plants, helping friends and neighbors with their gardens, and especially loved trees and desert flowers.

Neil earned a Master of Landscape Architecture from Cal State Polytechnic University in 1984, and went to work for the City of Los Angeles Department of Engineering doing computer mapping for 23 years before retiring in 2008. He then officially married his longtime partner Don Ruhl, published 2 books of poetry and drawings, and continued to travel, attend the symphony, delight at parties, and generally proceed to demonstrate how to live one's best life. His slow and deliberate manner enabled him to observe and treasure the natural world, celebrate his fellow man, befriend every dog on the street, and savor every pleasure down to the last quarter-bite of any chocolate dessert. A kind and creative soul, Neil had an affinity for the arts, nature, and social justice; passions he shared with his daughter and son-in-law as well as his devoted husband Don. Together nearly 3 decades, they became irreplaceable pillars of their community and will be greatly missed.

He is survived by his daughter Tamara Leigh Weikel and her husband Joshua Warren Stewart, caregivers Random and Chil, and many majestic, life-sustaining trees including the two Australian Willow Myrtles growing up through the deck behind his home and all the native oaks down the hill. He is preceded in death by his husband Donald Charles Ruhl, who passed suddenly in 2022 of cancer complicated by COVID. A service will be held for both of them in their home at 1pm on Saturday, April 18, 2026. If you would like to honor him please plant and care for a tree native to your area, and then consider replacing your grass with drought-tolerant pollinator-friendly native landscaping.