From Jack Fell, Adele's long-time colleague & boss
Adele Tallman: Where Kids Can Be Kids
With deep sadness, I report the death of Adele Stazell-Tallman on June 11, 2025.
Adele worked in my lab for many decades and was well known by the yeast
community. A brief description of her many accomplishments and advances in
yeast science complements the attached obituary written by her family.
Adele obtained a BS degree from Ursinus College, Pennsylvania and a MS degree
in mycology from University of Pennsylvania in 1967. Shortly thereafter she
started her research career in my lab at the Marine Laboratory, University of
Miami, Florida. Our first joint publication was in 1969.
Adele was skilled in laboratory techniques and was a relentless field scientist.
She explored many shore lines and shore waters and tramped through miles
of mangroves in the Florida Everglades, Bahamas and Caribbean to explore the
vast diversity of yeast species. Her collections produced hundreds of strains,
that had to be grown, maintained and identified by the standard morphological
and biochemical techniques. A horrendous task.
In addition to routine methods, Adele used her artistic talents to provide
drawings and photography of yeast morphology for species descriptions. An
expert with the microscope micro-manipulator, Adele was able to separate and
grow individual basidiospores, leading to our knowledge of multiple-allelic
basidiomycetous mating systems. Her study of yeast life cycles led to the
description of unknown yeasts, most notably the genus Kwoniella. Adele rapidly
incorporated emerging molecular techniques into her studies, contributing
extensively to our understanding of phylogenetic relationships.
Adele was a lead or contributing author on multiple publications, including
chapters in two editions of The Yeasts, A taxonomic study. According to
Research Gate, Adele has 2270 citations. Members of the yeast community with
whom Adele published include Herman PhaU, Clete Kurtzman, Teun Boekhout,
Alvaro Fonseca, David Yarrow and Kyria Boundy-Mills
As our laboratory manager, Adele was fondly known in the scientific community
for her careful teaching and mentoring of students, undergraduate and graduate,
post docs and visiting scientists. Teun Boekhout, who was a young post-doc in
our lab, recently wrote “I have very good memories from my time at your lab.
Adele acted like a mom for me. She also lent her bike to me. Her house at the
Grove with the Audubon books still is in my mind as kind of a secret place.”
R.I.P. Adele Statzell-Tallman: scientist, artist, mentor and dear friend to the
yeast community.
World Traveler, Captain, Great Friend
Globetrotter
Adele was always on the move. She was either on a sailing adventure or traveling to some far away place. She had many friends and was a lover of the arts. She attended local art shows, gallery openings, book signings, garden tours, ballet, opera, symphonies and other cultural events. One of her favorite trips was after college when she went to Europe for a few weeks with friends. Her father supported her through this adventure because he knew that it would expand her knowledge of other cultures. Adele also knew the Bahamas very well, having sailed there many times over the years, snorkeling, fishing and enjoying the beautiful summer breezes.
