Richard Zann

The La Trobe zoology department in the late 80s - early 90s was a great, learning place for me. A place ethically, as well as academically committed. I did my honours there, with Tim New - one of Richard's colleagues and friends. Richard was a great guy. One of the more upbeat, approachable academics and occasionally, likeably weird. He'd stop you in the corridor and ask you how you were going and give advice (stats and other things). Little things like that make a big difference. His role in getting the Wildlife Reserves off the ground is evidence that he was tapped into the broader, important issues; because that place developed a vibrant community of its own. My condolences to his family and friends, and recognition of a life cut short, but very well lived.

You married my first girlfriend in NZ, Eileen. Lucky you. As a fellow scientist I would have liked to have met you.
Rest in peace.

IMH

Richard was an inspiring man - his lectures at LaTrobe Uni were amongst the most interesting and riveting of all the courses run in the Zoology Department.

Thank you, Richard and Eileen, for taking care of Karma, another special person. The Feb 7th fires claimed the lives of so many wonderful people, and tragically your family and dear Karma were amongst those lost.
My sincere condolences to Christopher.

May your hearts soon be filled with wonderful memories of joyful times together as you celebrate a life well lived.

Words can not begin to express my feelings of sadness that I feel for all the people affected by the bushfires, lives lost and ruined, homes and animals destroyed!!!! The fires have not affected me personally so i can not begin to imagine the pain and suffering being experienced by those it has. I wish all those people who it has effected support, love, kindness and that your faith what ever that might be has not been lost. In times like this you need faith, because what ever happens you need to know inside yourself that what you trust, love and put your faith in will not let you down. I wish all those lost a peaceful afterlife, peoples whose homes and life’s that have been taken away from them support and love. In times like this you see how wonderful Australia is to join together despite everyone’s differences and united in a time of need

I am still absolutely shocked about the tragedy that happened to Richard, Eileen and Eva at the beautiful house at Kingslake. I spend wonderful days there in 1983 when I visited the family together with friends from Germany. Eva was just a baby at that time. We experienced incredible warm hospitality and help in so many ways. I will never forget these days which where my first in Australia ever.My heartfelt condolences to all of the family and especially to their son Christopher.

It saddened me so much to hear of your passing, the circumstances are truely heart-breaking. The fact you didnt want to leave without your elderly neighbour shows the type of man you were, a true gentleman.

You were a great lecturer, so kind, approachable and just a quiet man we used to call "Richie" - not your face mind you :-) You helped me during a particularly hard time in my life during my uni degree. For that I am eternally grateful. May you Rest in Peace

Dr. Zann sent me recordings of wild zebra finches that I used in my MA and PhD work starting in 1995...it was an amazing and generous thing to do for a lowly graduate student. I'm shocked and saddened to hear of this, and extend my condolences to all who knew him much better than I. His book is a bible for all who study zebra finches!

Richard,
The world will never be the same now that you have left it. You were always there to help throughout my time at La Trobe, with great advice, insights into deeper knowledge, and always willing to explain things in different ways until you were sure I understood.
The Zoology world has lost a great intellectual mind and anyone who ever met you will understand this loss.
Wherever you are now, I know you will be surrounded by loving family and endless zebra finch populations.

Richard,
The world is a lesser place now that you are no longer in it! The quietly spoken, kind, patient, supportive person that you were ensured that you left a handprint on all who met you. Thank you for passing on your knowledge and ideas in such an enthusiastic way, I feel privileged to have been taught by you. Thank you for sparing your time to help me through the 'wonders' of SPSS. Your colleagues and students (past and present) will never forget you!

None of your students will ever forget your lectures richard, they were a treasure chest of stories from the serious to the funny to the downright weird. thankyou for all the help you gave to us during our time with you.
you will be missed by all.

Dearest Uncle Richard,
I am so devastated to think I will never see your funny smile again and hear you talk. You were always so interested in what I was doing and yet all this time you were so well admired Internationally for your research into the Zebra finch. Such a kind and dedicated family man and you were always there every xmas in Evans Head. We loved seeing you all and enjoyed our time with all the family so much. It has been 20 odd years of xmas's together and this xmas will be so sad. You will be so missed and I hope you are at peace with Aunty Eileen and Eva holding your hand surrounded by beautiful Zebra finches singing. Rest in peace Uncle Richard.
I will remember you always.
Your niece Christabel, David and Finn

Dear Uncle Richard,

you were my favourite uncle. I have always admired your selfless and family oriented attitude.
Over the last 20 years spending Christmas at Evans Head you were ever present, I always looked forward to seeing you and the family, I always felt close to the extended family at Christmas.
You were so considerate of other people's thoughts and feelings, reading about your evacuation plan from the fires and your plan to pick up an elderly lady from her home personified your attitude, and this is something you will always be remembered for. You will always have a special place in my heart.

Love from Nicholas your nephew, my girlfriend Gerowyn, and the Schuster and Lyons families

Dear Richard,
I just saw the shocking photoes of your family's home and estate - or what is left from it, and the picture which shows you, Eileen and Eva. I am deeply distressed and very very sad that I lost you and Eileen forever. We spoke to each other on the phone only two weeks ago (End of January) and thus kept a friendship which began in 1981 when we first met at the University of Bielefeld, Germany. I'll never forget the hospitality of you and Eileen, when I and friends of mine stayed in your house for a few days in Jan 1983, before we left for a long trip of Australia. This beautiful canadian log house with all the Lyrebirds, Currawongs and Crimson Rosellas around in your garden. Christopher, a nice little boy of five or six, played with us in the nearby National Park and showed us his secret hide in a big gum tree. Little Eva was a one or two year old sweet little baby. You showed us Kinglake and the environment. I remember meetings and nightly talks in Karma's house - Karma, a very gentle and open-minded elder Lady who lived next door.
There was a severe drought also in 1983, and we all suffered from the permanent lack of fresh water. But we enjoyed the barbecue in the evening and the unforgettible southern nightly sky with many more glittering stars than in the northern hemisphere and a contrastful milky way.
We have been good friends over years and finally over decades, the only ones I had in Down Under. This precious contact is gone now ...

Dear Christopher,
You probably don't remember me, but my feelings are with you. I have no idea how you can cope with this horrible loss: the whole family, and you are the only one left. I know that you had a very close binding to your parents and your sister Eva. I am so sad ...

Your students will miss a sharp mind, an enthusiastic and patient teacher, and a caring man who always made time to help others. Deepest sympathy to those who knew you best Richard. You'll be fondly remembered.

The LaTrobe University community particularly the Zoology Department has lost a great, wise, passionate man. You will be sorely missed Zanny.