Steven James Prchal

died in Tucson, Arizona on April 17, 2015 at the age of 64 after a month in hospice care. He was a passionate environmental activist, mentor, friend, teacher, father, old-school naturalist and desert rat. Born on May 20, 1950 to Ken and Betty Prchal in Chicago, IL, his family moved to Tucson, AZ when he was four. The desert wildlife captivated his imagination, adventurous spirit and curiosity. Many camping trips in Mexico and throughout Arizona fueled this passion. He graduated from Palo Verde High School in 1968. His love for the environment and desert ignited his career at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in 1970 starting as a laborer and advancing to Assistant Curator of the small animal department. In 1986, he founded Sonoran Arthropod Studies Institute promoting educational programs about insects and their relatives. One of SASI's projects was starting the Invertebrates in Captivity Conference (now Invertebrates in Environment and Conservation Conference) supporting zoo and museum professionals. In 2002, Steve visited Costa Rica and moved to Dos Brazos del Rio Tigre on the Osa peninsula in 2004. His work in this new community fostered a police station, a municipal water system, conservation work to stop gold mining in the rivers, and founding a new conservation foundation, Ventanas en Corcovado. Steve's passion, expertise and knowledge inspired many people in the zoo and museum field, insect enthusiasts, conservation community, and others. He is survived by father, Kenneth (Sarah Leonard); brother, Joseph (Dicksie McDaniel); sister, Kathy Mayer (Nick); daughter, Julie Dorley (Susana); two nephews and three nieces, sister-in-law, Peggy Prchal; close friend, Janet Bardwell and Costa Rican Family, the Madrigals. Pre-deceased by mother, Betty Prchal and niece, Dana Apodaca. A Memorial Service is planned for Tuesday, July 21, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: Steve Prchal Scholarship Fund/IECC; c/o Erin Sullivan, Woodland Park Zoo, 5500 Phinney Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98103.