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IGUANA  •  VOLUME 13, NUMBER 4  •  DECEMBER 2006 299OBITUARIES

In Memoriam:
Margaret “Meg” Stewart

(1927–2006)
Distinguished Teaching Professor Emerita of Biological Sciences
Margaret “Meg” Stewart passed away on 2 August 2006 after
battling pancreatic cancer. Stewart was known for a lifetime of
dedication to science and biological conservation. An outstand-
ing teacher, she was particularly interested in mentoring female
students. Her graduate trainees are themselves a distinguished
group of scientists and academics.

Known internationally for her studies of amphibians and
reptiles, Stewart officially retired in 1997, although she continued
to serve as founding director of the Graduate Program in
Biodiversity, Conservation, and Policy. Associate Professor George
Robinson of the Department of Biological Sciences said, “She
spent a lifetime doing the difficult things that others shirked, and
her fierce Scots integrity stands out in all her accomplishments.”

Stewart’s first love was frogs. An African frog was named for
her (Phrynobatrachus stewartae) and is known as Stewart’s Puddle
Frog. She also studied the Mink Frog (Rana septentrionalis) of
the Adirondacks, the frogs of Jamaica, and the Coqui
(Eleutherodactylus coqui) of Puerto Rico. Her distinguished work
on the Coqui led to an honorary doctorate from the University
of Puerto Rico–Mayagüez in 1996.

In 1979, Stewart became the first woman to lead a profes-
sional herpetological organization when she was elected presi-
dent of the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
(SSAR). In 2005, the American Society of Ichthyologists and
Herpetologists (ASIH) awarded her its Robert K. Johnson
Award for excellence in service to the society and the ASIH’s
highest award, the Henry S. Fitch Award, for long-term excel-
lence in herpetology.

Survivors include her husband, George E. Martin, mathe-
matics professor emeritus at the University at Albany, and her
brother, John M. Stewart, a renowned peptide chemist at the
University of Colorado Medical School in Denver.

O B I T U A R I E S

In Memoriam:
Ella “Marie” Poyner

(1963–2006)

Ella “Marie” Poyner was born Woo Mon Chue in Taiwan on
25 January 1963, and was adopted by the Poyner family in
February 1963, moving with them to National City, California.

Marie’s dream of becoming a veterinarian went unfulfilled.
Nevertheless, she never hesitated to help animals (and people)
throughout her life. Marie cared for many iguanas, including
Baby and Dragon, who came into her life in 1994. She read
extensively on iguana husbandry and veterinary care in order to
provide the best possible life for her charges. Marie touched the
hearts of many people, sharing her knowledge through online
forums and providing assistance to iguanas in distress, even
going so far as to purchase and ship supplies to animals in need.

Marie was a longtime IRCF member who provided gift
memberships for her friends in order to encourage them to
become involved with conservation. She also was an enthusias-
tic supporter of the Blue Iguana Recovery Program. To make a
donation honoring Marie, please contact Des@IRCF.org.

Marie passed away in Cleveland, Ohio on Sunday, 10
October 2006. She is survived by family, many friends, and her
three iguanas. She will be sorely missed by all, for her sharp wit,
delightful personality, and extensive iguana knowledge. Rest in
Peace, Marie.

Marie Poyner and one of her beloved pet Green Iguanas.

Margaret “Meg” Stewart in the mid-1980s at El Verde Field Station in
Puerto Rico.

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