Dr. Peter Raven, President and Director of the Missouri Botanical Garden, passed away on April 25 at age 89. Dr. Raven was a long-time member of the St. Louis JACL and was instrumental in the Garden’s plans to build its Japanese Garden “Seiwa-En” in 1977. Dr. Raven was a great supporter of the Japanese and Japanese American Community and the Japanese Festival. The St. Louis JACL mourns the passing of a visionary that greatly bettered our organization for over the last 50 years.