Renowned area scientist Dr. Homer Virgil Pinkley passes
Dr. Homer Virgil Pinkley of Eldorado, Illinois, was called home Saturday, December 17th, 2022, at the age of 84, after a long struggle with heart and kidney disease. He was born November 16th, 1938, in Detroit, Michigan.
He was a true scholar and attended Wayne State University in Michigan, Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, and Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, from which he received a Ph.D. in Ethno-Botany.
Homer is listed in the publications Famous Scientists and Famous Botanists. He did plant research while living with the Ottawa Tribe of the Great Lakes and the Kofan Indians at the head waters of the Amazon, identifying plants they used for various purposes, especially tribal medicine.
Among his discoveries were additives to Ayahuasca, a South American Hallucinogenic, which increased the potency of the tea. Some of his discoveries have been used in anesthesia and according to recent studies may have therapeutic uses for Parkinson’s disease, substance abuse disorders, depression, anxiety, and PTSD. A number of his botanical specimens are housed at Harvard and the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
In later years he was known for his interest in and expertise on historical Americana including silverplate and textiles (quilts, hooked rugs, elegant linens, and lace). He continued to lecture until a month before his passing. Most recently he was involved in supplying textiles to famed fashion designer Emily Bode, who turned his textiles into high fashion, and put them on runways in New York, Paris, etc.
He will be sadly missed and joyfully remembered by a niece, Juanita Carole (Randall) Rash of Raleigh, IL; nephews, Kenneth Wayne Pack of Stonefort, IL, Gary, Keith, and Dennis Pinkley of Michigan; and great-nieces, nephews and cousins. He will also be remembered by friends around the world, his church family, the members of the local Southern Illinois Art community, the antiques community, the local book club, and the Wellfleet community on Cape Cod where he spent summers.
At his direction, his body was donated to science so that he could continue to be of benefit to mankind.
A Celebration of Life is being held on Saturday, February 11, 2023, at 4:00 p.m. in the afternoon at the Town and Country Building in Eldorado, Illinois. The location is directly behind the stage at the center intersection in Eldorado. Everyone is invited.
Scholarship donations can be made to: Eldorado High School Foundation, The Pinkley Scholarship C/O Rachel Anderson, 2200 Illinois Avenue, Eldorado, IL 62930.
We thank you for your generosity and support of Dr. Pinkley and look forward to keeping his legacy alive through this scholarship.
To purchase flowers and gifts locally, visit www.RosiclareFlowerBasket.net .
My grandma has Parkinson’s disease, she is about 75 years old it was detected 7 years ago. Right now it’s getting more difficult to live for her, because of stiff muscles she can’t even move. L-dopa and carbidopa medicines are given, but won”t give much relief. She can”t eat food and the skin is damaging forming ganglia. I thought this might be the last stage and the medications she was given did not help at all, so I started to do alot of research on natural treatments, I was introduced to Health Natural Centre and their Parkinson’s Herbal Protocol. She started on the Parkinson’s Treatment last year, her symptoms gradually diminished including her Tremors, Body Weakness and Muscle Pains. Reach them at healthnaturalcentre.org , She is getting active again since starting this treatment, she is able to walk again ( down the street and back ) and able to ride her treadmill again! God Bless all PD Caregivers. Stay Strong, take small moments throughout the day to thank yourself, to love your self, and pray to whatever faith, star, spiritual force you believe in and ask for strength. I can personally vouch for these remedy but you would probably need to decide what works best for you.