Bump!

I was about to do the same thing this morning, but held off.

I’ve found her comments very useful through the years.

I private messaged her a weeks ago and never heard back.

I wonder if she is on Facebook or Instagram?

I’m glad you started this thread John, I’ve been hoping that Merlena is OK. I also tried to direct message her using @Sara-Ann Z6B OK but it hasn’t worked.

I still haven't heard from Sara Ann. I'm hopeful she's able and will get in touch.

Still no news from Sara Ann. Has anyone else heard from her, or seen her post anywhere?

Hi John

She posted about a document on June 2022. That’s the last I’ve seen, I sent you a PM on it.

@BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14) Thanks for your detective work, Ben. That post is in the same time frame as her last post here. That's worrisome that there's no sign of her in the past year.

Hi John

Sent you another PM on contact info.

OK, this is getting seriously worrying. PLEASE, if anyone has been in contact with Merlena in the past year, let us know. BenT and I have tried to get in touch with her, but there's been no response. Ben called (landline and cell), I wrote a (snail mail) letter. Nothing but radio silence so far.

I'll ask again, is anyone Facebook friends with her?

If anyone is a member over on the National Gardening Assoc rose forum, could you inquire over there if anyone has heard from her?

Thanks so much, Kim!

You're welcome, John. Check your email. Kim

Thank you all for doing that. I hope she is okay. Last I spoke with her was pre pandemic when I was in Oklahoma

John, I think I found her name and snail mail address as of 2023 - sent you an email from here. Hope you already in contact after Kim found her too.

Jackie

Moses’ post, now, about looking for a good red HT and deciding on Grande Amore made me think of Liebeszauber, a favorite of Sara-Ann. That rose never had a stronger advocate.

Any update?

Sara Ann grew a beautiful Zaide and Soeur Emmanuelle, too. She is missed. Diane

@rifis (zone 6b-7a NJ) As far as I know, no one has heard anything. It has been about six weeks since I sent a snail mail letter, which was my last option after different ones of us have called, emailed and private messaged here on Houzz, and the NGA rose forum. No answer. When I sent the letter I was hoping that at least we would hear from some of Merlena's family, if she were incapacitated. But nothing.

I'm not on Facebook, or would sent a DM there, but according to Kim (Roseseek), she hasn't been active on FB since December of '21.

Thanks for your efforts, fig. Eventually, this mystery will be solved. She posted on HMF as Nana, a name I know well. And her Soeur E is the very best on there, I think. Diane

Here I am again. Merlena King is a notary public in Pawnee, OK, and google search results show that the most recent document she notarized was June 2022. I need to study the search results more. There may be more recent info there. Diane

@Diane Brakefield Thanks Diane, but we've known for quite a while about Merlena's notary job. It was one way we tracked her down early on. Her last official duty, her last post here, at the National Garden Assoc. rose forum, and on Facebook were all within a few months. Then all activity by her stopped suddenly. That's one reason we've been so concerned.

Ben called her landline and only got an answering machine. Kim sent her a message on FB, and she hasn't answered, and I sent that letter, and I didn't get an answer OR the letter returned.

It doesn't look good.

The ONLY good news is that I haven't found an obituary, either.

Fig, I guess I missed your info about the notary public job. I really have been following this thread. I haven't found an obit, either, not for her anyway--just a couple of family members. You are correct that it doesn't look good. But I still think we will solve this mystery, happy ending or not. Diane

You can try “search people free“ site by name and city. Her address is listed there. Someone could send her a card/letter.

Summers, I have her address. I sent her a letter six weeks ago, there's been no answer. That''s what I meant by "snail mail".

Thanks for trying that. You could call her local senior center. It’s a small town. Someone would know her there. Pawnee Senior Citizens Center - Senior Center in Pawnee OK (918) 762-3400

Senior center is a good idea if she is in a small town. Hope she is doing well.

My husband said in a smaller town you can also call the local police and ask for a well check on someone to be sure they are doing alright.

Good luck everyone in contacting Sara-Ann

Doing a "wellness check" via the police is a good idea - I am familiar with those, and the police never seem to mind at all.

Jackie

Any update?

Nothing to any Facebook messaging.

Thanks for the update.

You're welcome. It appears to me the only way anyone might obtain more information about her fate would be to become much more intrusive and contact friends and relatives on Facebook or perhaps the professional organizations she likely belongs to. I'm disinclined to be that intrusive as it seems a bit too much to me. Should something unfortunate have occurred, I doubt anyone adversely affected by it would find being questioned about it by strangers appropriate.

I'm afraid we'll never know what has happened. At this point I think it would be morbid to continue to pry. As much as I care about Merlena, and wish I knew the circumstances, I have to agree with Kim that anything more would be intrusive, and possibly hurtful to Merlena's loved ones.

May God bless her and her family.

I think Merlena's family would find it heartwarming to know that her rose family missed her. I have had occasions where I was able to express to relatives how much their loved one meant to me. I really don't think this is rude or intrusive. Relatives are grateful someone remembers their loved one.

On the other hand, if something unsavory or illegal has occurred, I don't mention it to the relatives to avoid embarrassment for them.

I am with Sheila on this one. I’ve been a member of other forums where a member died, and relatives were always gracious if the inquiry was respectful and sincere. Each time, they were pleased that the deceased was so well liked in a online community and relayed some details they wanted the forum to know about the deceased. I had found Merlena’s home and cell numbers and tried to call them. The home just kept ringing, the cell was answered by a man who did not know her. So I have no further leads. But had she answered I would have just said I was BenT on the rose forum and a bunch of us hadn’t heard from her and were hoping she and her garden were well. That’s all.

Ben, do you want to try a couple more numbers? Pawnee Senior Citizens Center - Senior Center in Pawnee OK (918) 762-3400

Southern Oaks Care Center

1401 4th St

Pawnee, OK 74058

1-855-243-3078

Thanks Summers. Pawnee Senior Center number appears to be disconnected. Southern Oaks Care Center disconnects immediately after they verify that you’re trying to check on someone (what rude Southern Hospitality, LOL!)

Thanks for trying Ben!