Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Dear readers, friends, etc. I am writing you all to pass news about my father, Bert Langerwerf. I sincerely hope that some of you know him from all his work with the Argentine tegus the past years. It is with pain in my hearth that I must inform you all that my father has been taken to the hospital last Friday. He has been fighting colon cancer for almost three years now. The cancer has spread thru his body and attacked his liver severely. The current prognosis is not good. The doctors have only given him a few days/weeks left to live, lets hope they are wrong. It is hard for me to write this. I just want you all to please keep him and us in your thoughts the coming days/weeks. Please feel free to sign our guestbook on our website with your support as well. I dont know when and if I can reply to emails. I just want to spend as much time as possible with my father and family at this time. Please keep us in your thoughts. Timo Langerwerf

guestbook agama international

Your family is in my prayers. Agama International has done much for the advancement of tegus.

Bert is doing a bit better this morning. He has been drinking lots of water and eating jello and soup brot. I am tired and going to sleep for a bit now.
Timo

Bert is coming home again tomorrow. He had taken too much organic, homeopathic, or whatever the hell they call it, meds. He came very close to dying last week due to that organic crap. He will be back on chemo next week, and things are looking better then last week.

I think it would be nice if Bert got some postcards for his room. Postcards can be send to the following address:

Bert Langerwerf
10514 Chilton Road 73
Montevallo, AL 35115-9634

We will then take the postcards to his room at the hospital and stick them on the wall. He will like that very much. He thanks everybody for thinking about him and us.

The sooner the better, really. Time is of the essence, unfortunally.

Thanks very much,
Timo Langerwerf

Bert, Hester and Timo:

I am sorry to hear this news.
We will be keeping thoughts and prayers for your family in our hearts.

I have not talked with Bert or Hester in several years...but, I still have many fond memories of wonderful phone conversations with them more than 14 yrs ago.

Your family is very special in the reptile world!
Your parents have spent a lifetime devoted to nature and the animals they love so dearly.
The accomplishments they have achieved are appreciated by thousands of people around the world.

There is a special place in all of our hearts for your family.
Our deepest sympathy and best wishes to the Langerwerf's.
Take care Bert. You truly are the Lizard King!
Every time I see an Australian Water Dragon, Argentine Tegu, or even a "Super Worm"...I think of you!
Thank you for ALL of your contributions to our wonderful hobby.

Your friend,
Harlin Wall - WALL TO WALL REPTILES!
970-255-9255
970-245-7611

I will keep him in my prayers for sure! He is one person you can always count on in this hobby!
-----
John Light

My families thoughts and prayers are with you. Thank you Bert for all the great tegus over the years and especially your dedication to the Argentines when nobody even knew what they were.

Timo - all of kingsnake.com's thoughts are for Bert. Please let us know if we can do anything.

Bert, Hester and Timo,

You are in my thoughts and prayers.

You have done so much for this hobby and I have always enjoyed our correspondence over the years.

I wish you peace and strength.

Bill

Thanks for all the support and messages. Bert is home again. We are planning to sell the farm (see Agama webpage for details) within the next year or so. I counted all outside permanent cages today, and there are 437.

Hello Timo,
I'm very sorry to hear about your Dad. He is a wonderfully passionate man. He's spoken to our club twice over the years and touched our industry/hobby all in many ways. I try very hard to be dedicated and passionate in my work with reptiles - your dad is the gold standard that I look up to in that regard.
He has beaten many odds, on many levels. I sincerely hope that he extends this streak. My thoughts are with you and your family in this difficult time, I wish you all the strength possible to face this painful situation. Look to your dad's example for inspration. . .
Very best regards, Marcus Cantos

Timo, I'm so sorry and hope Bert pulls threw. My thoughts and prayers are with your family. Get well soon Bert.
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Education is Everything.......

Bert passed away today at 14:45 central time. He will be cremated tomorrow, Tuesday. There will be a memorial later in the year, but no date has been set yet. It will probably be many weeks or several months from now.

Sincerely,
Timo Langerwerf, Bert's son.

Very sorry to hear about your dad. I bought I tegu from him in 2001, which is still quite healthy today. Bert was so knowledgeable and so quick to get back to you if you had a question. His unique approach to herps really made him stand out, I still have old Reptiles and Vivarium magazine copies from the mid 90's I bought just because of Bert's articles.
Herptoculture has lost a giant. I may be a bit biased, but to me Bert will always be THE lizard man. R.I.P.

I was fortunate enough to meet and talk with Bert several times in Daytona.Besides being very knowledgeable about the animals he cared for,he was one of the nicest people i have met through this hobby.The reptile community has lost a great member and he will be sorely missed. To Bert's family and friends, I am deeply sorry for your loss.
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Arlon Delorge
Classic Constrictors

Timo,I am so sorry to hear this.Your father was a very dear friend of mine.When ever he came up to Mn him and i would go to dinner and just hang out or go walk threw the sky ways in downtown.I will miss him very much.Bert was one of the best people in the world.

The very first time he came over to my house and saw all of the geckos in the house he said i was crazy,i will never forget that day.

Tell your mother if there is any thing i can do just call or send a email.I will do what i can.

Jodi L Aherns
Ground Gecko Freak
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Jodi L Aherns
612.802.3980
www.groundgeckofreak.com

I am very sad to hear of Bert's passing. Please accept my most heartfelt condolences on the loss of your father. All who are aware of his tremendous work with herpetoculture must surely appreciate the void his passing has created.

I was fortunate enough to meet him at a Maryland reptile show several years ago, and share this picture with you:

And to your father, I would say, "Bert--job well done! Rest in peace, forever."

--Esther Goldhammer

I just looked on the Agama International site and saw that the entire business, property, etc is for sale!!!That is so heartbreaking when you think about how they started from the ground up and where they came from and what they achieved.
The Langerwerfs are an amazingly traveled/educated family and a real asset to not just the reptile community, but humanity itself. We need more people like them.
My heart is heavy.