MAC member Mary Barb, 80, of Basye, Virginia, passed away on October 13, 2022. She owned and operated Barb Day Care until 2015. She loved children and their activities and was i n vol ve d i n ma n y children’s organizations. Mary is survived by her
Terry Sheuchenko
ONE OF A KIND - by Austin Kennell
Most of us lost a special friend when the President of The Middle Atlantic Chapter died unexpectedly on December 17, 1994.
Born Teresa Jane Wilken in East Hempstead, New York in 1930, she was "Terry" to everyone. She lived on Long Island where she met and married Peter Sheuchenko in the early 1950's.
About 1952, Terry and Pete moved to California where they lived until moving to the Barboursville, Virginia area in 1969 where they built a home and established the Lazy S’s Nursery.
Their three children, Peter A. Sheuchenko, Paul R. Sheuchenko, and Janice Ann were born in California. Terry was very active in leadership of the 4H organization to which her sons belonged. Janice Ann suffered brain damage during birth which made her virtually helpless. She died in the late 70's at the age of 15.
In 1987 Terry's husband Pete, drowned in a pond on Nursery property. Subsequently Terry sold her home and property including the nursery to her oldest son, Peter, and moved into a small pre-fabricated home on a few acres carved out of the nursery property. She continued to work in various capacities for the nursery. She also worked in the tissue culture business of her close friends Cheryl Borgmann and Mike Henrietta.
Terry was many things. She was a good wife, a good mother, and a devoted grandmother. She was for many years a helpful partner in operating Lazy S's nursery. She was multi-talented: skilled calligrapher, gifted painter, and excellent propagator, an innovative crafts person. She won a nationwide contest for the best logo for the Rhododendron Research Foundation. Her imaginative signs were a feature of M.A.C. shows and meetings. She frequently spoke to horticulture groups. She wrote interesting articles. She was a good President.
Dr. August Kehr named an evergreen azalea 'Terry' for her help to him. She named and registered the Rhododendron 'For Pete's Sake' for her husband. She also named some evergreen azaleas including 'First Son', 'Second Son', 'Melissa', 'Kehr's Cat', and 'Bright Eyes'.
Teresa Jane Sheuchenko, you were a special human being. We love you. There will never be another Terry.
Irving Roberts
Obituary: Former MAC president Dr. Irving G. Roberts died on December 25, 1995 in Richmond after a long illness. He was a former vice president of Reynolds Metals Co. and a former scientist with Medical College of Virginia. In 1985 he became co-owner with his wife of the Fan Garden Shop Inc., a landscaping and florist business. His Celebration of Life Service was held at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond on December 29th. The family suggests contributions to the Dr. Irving Roberts Rhododendron Collection at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond. The Chapter extends deepest sympathy to his wife Doris.
The following comments are from Bill Bedwell: “MAC toured his garden at least twice in the Richmond meetings that I remember. The first time, I remember that he and Doris served a nice lunch in the garden and I do not remember any charge for the useyour-own-car tour. I took my mother and a neighbor in Dinwiddie. Later, I remember that Irving showed his slides of tours at an ARS Convention in the Northwest, and that gave me the craving to start going to them as soon as I could scrape together the money.
“After Irving joined his wife in running the Fan Garden Shop and started designing landscaping of small city gardens, following publication of his book on home landscaping, he promoted rhododendrons in Richmond and used them in the landscaping. For example, in the late 1980's when my former boss bought 2 a house in the Fan not far from me, he showed me the backyard that was filled with approximately 10 - 15 year old azaleas and rhododendrons, and I am certain that Irving had something to do with it.
“Then, I remember for two years Irving answered Austin Kennell’s plea for someone to handle a pool order from Greer and both Dorothy Robinson and I took advantage of it. When MAC first joined with the national convention of the Azalea Society for the 1982 meeting, and Harry (Wise) was president, Irving was the Friday night speaker that initiated the meeting theme, “The Asian Influence,” by developing a slide talk on working the Asian Garden designs into home landscapes. Another time, he agreed to open his garden on Sunday even though it was a hardship on him and Doris because the meeting was Mother’s Day weekend, a busy time for a florist. By that time the garden shop had expanded into the florist business which was Doris’ thing. I remember that his garden tours were as educational as they were beautiful because he gave so many tips. I learned a lot from him. After Irving got back into research, he only showed up at a few MAC Saturday evening programs in Richmond. They welcomed the Azalea Society for a tour several years ago. I saw them at the annual garden parties at Ginter, except last spring, and they were always so friendly.”
Bert Shoosmith
Albert J. (Bert) Shoosmith 93, died August 14, 2000. He was a nurseryman, landscape architect and grower of unusual cultivars of rhododendron and broadleaf evergreens. He was part owner of Southside Nurseries, Inc. and later established Hillside Gardens in Chester, Virginia. Bert was a past president of the Richmond and Virginia Nurserymen's Association. Bert was a Charter member of the Middle Atlantic Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society. He was instrumental in organizing the Virginia Society of Landscape Designers and was active in the legislature to protect landscape nurserymen.
August Kehr
A great rhododendron friend of many of us, Dr. August Kehr passed away peacefully on September 27, 2001,at the age of 87 in Iowa. He and his wife Mary Lou had moved to Cedar Falls, Iowa, in August, 2001, to be near their daughter and her family. “Augie”, as many of us knew him, was living in North Carolina at the time of the ASA Convention in late June this year.
He earned his Ph.D. in Plant Breeding, Plant Pathology and Cytology in 1950. He then went to Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he became Associate Professor. From there he went to Iowa State University at Ames, Iowa, where he was Professor of Horticulture as well as Horticulturist for the U.S.D.A. In 1958 he moved to Silver Spring, Maryland and went to work at the U.S.D.A. Research Station in Beltsville. In 1978 he retired from the U.S.D.A. and moved to North Carolina.
He was a past President of the ARS, and a recipient of both the Gold Medal and the Pioneer Achievement Awards. He was an avid hybridizer who had several rhododendron and evergreen azalea introductions and was working towards a yellow evergreen azalea.
He also hybridized magnolias. He had his garden on tour when the ARS Convention was held in Asheville and many of us saw his Hendersonville garden with its many rhododendron and magnolia hybrids.
Dr. William Stepka
Dr. William Stepka, 84, died on February 5, 2001. Plants were his vocation and avocation. He was a retired professor at Virginia Commonwealth University's Medical College of Virginia, where he taught and specialized in pharmacognosy, the study of drugs and compounds derived from plants or other natural materials.
He grew up in rural Minnesota, then went to a Cornell University-run agricultural experimentation program in Geneva, NY. From there he went to the University of Rochester in New York. Six weeks shy of graduation, his education was interrupted. Drafted into the Army during World War II, Bill served in the Army Air Forces flying reconnaissance missions in nearly every theater of battle (Flying Tigers, China, Philippines, Okinawa, Japan), specializing in radarand radar countermeasures.
He returned to complete his degree and to go on to the University of California at Berkeley where he received his Ph.D. in Plant Physiology- Plant Biochemistry. There, he worked closely with Nobel laureate Melvin Calvin. Bill did much of the research on that project and his name was on the research paper “The path of carbon in photosynthesis. X. Carbon dioxide assimilation in plants.” He had many other research papers to his credit.
He taught at the University of Pennsylvania before coming to Richmond and to the Medical College of Virginia as a professor in the late 1950s. He retired in 1982.
Bill was in many scientific, honorary, and professional societies, two of his most notable being the Virginia Conference, AAUP, where he served as president, and faculty senate at VCU where he also served as president. He was also retainedbyVirginiaCommonwealthUniversityas a professional lobbyist, for issues of higher education at the Virginia General Assembly. He was a member of Sigma Xi, honorary scientific society. He was a consultant on poisonous plant ingestions for MCV Emergency for many years.
Bill loved plants and enjoyed hybridizing deciduous azaleas. He had entered some of his seedlings in MAC Flower Shows. He became president of MAC at a time when the chapter was smaller and was suffering in the early years after the death of Dr. Thomas Wheeldon. He helped keep the chapter going and pointed it in a more scientific direction.
George Ring
The ARS suffered another big loss on December 29, 2001. George Ring, a member of the Potomac Valley Chapter ARS and past president of ARS, died after about three months in the hospital. George had moved from Fairfax, Virginia, to Roanoke when he retired. He was an avid hybridizer and introduced several evergreen azalea hybrids, one being Fairfax, and some rhododendron hybrids, the best known probably being Helen Ring. George Ring welcomed MAC on a tour of his garden in 1999.
George had many talents. He also had many friends in the Middle Atlantic Chapter even though he was not a member of our chapter. In 1999 many of his seedling plants, which were potted and upgraded by Frank Pelurie, were sold at our P4M sale. There were many special species in this group of plants. George was extremely generous with his plants and his knowledge.
Auctin Kennell
The Middle Atlantic Chapter lost its dear friend and beloved member Austin Clinton Kennell on December 30, 2001. Austin died at home surrounded by his family and friends.
Austin was born in Cumberland, Maryland, January 22, 1918. His wife of 62 years, Betty, survives him, as do his children, daughter Gloria K. Sanders and son Austin C. Kennell III. He leaves six grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. Austin brought many of his family members to MAC meetings over the Austin C. Kennell. 1998. years as he was a very proud and loving family man. He loved a good party and when he brought his family along there was always a good party.
Austin had some special names given to him by family and friends. He was so proud of the name “Dandy” that his grandchildren gave him that he named a company he formed after retirement “Dandy Sales Inc.”. He had another name that most rhododendron people didn't know about. He was called “Ace” by friends and family. Austin got this name in his teenage years when he was an “ace” basketball player on his high school team, a “scrawny” 5 foot 8 inch guard who was high scorer many times and later played semi-pro basketball. This nickname reveals much about Austin and his endurance, his pursuit of excellence, and his promotion of team work to get big jobs done and handle problems, all the while making those around him feel like they were special people.
Austin served two terms stateside in the Navy, serving during WWII, and then re-enlisting when the Korean War broke out.
In his professional career Austin was president of Copar Industries, president of Pennsylvania Products; owner of Dandy Sales Inc, and retired sales manager and personnel director of Virginia Metalcrafters. In his later years he volunteered at the Visitors Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Austin was deeply involved with ARS on the chapter level and society level for many years. He was a member of the society for over 32 years. He was Middle Atlantic Chapter president from 1979 to 1981. He was active on the chapter board for many years. He spear-headed the MAC-sponsored 1988 ARS Convention in Williamsburg.
He became first District Nine Director in 1982 and rose to president of the society in 1989–1991. He chaired the Honors Committee from 1982 to 1991 and more recently the ARS Endowment Committee from 1992 to 1998. He served on the By-Laws Revision Committee from 1986 to 1989.
Austin had a vision for the ARS and he was dedicated to that vision. He worked to ensure the society’s long-term survival both by building up the membership in his Middle Atlantic Chapter and membership on the societal and international level by working to encourage agreements with the Rhododendron Society of Canada and in building membership overseas. He worked to ensure the financial security of the society by encouraging work to create the ARS Endowment Fund which he hoped would keep the society solvent and reduce the need to frequently raise dues and still produce an outstanding Journal. He also worked with Harry Wise and the University of Virginia Library, initially for MAC and later for ARS, to have a Rhododendron manuscripts repository there.
Gen. Robert William Porter Jr.
Obituary: Retired Army Gen. Robert William Porter Jr., former commander in chief of the U.S. Southern Command, died Saturday in a Charlottesville hospital after suffering a heart attack. He was 91. Gen. Porter lived in Hood in Madison County, where he retired in 1969 after serving four years in Panama. His last command, headquartered in Panama, covered Latin America. In 1969, he was briefly recalled to active duty as military adviser on then-Vice President Nelson Rockefeller's mission to Latin America. An Alma, Neb., native, Gen. Porter graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1930. He served in a number of posts including commander of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Germany and a stint in France, chief of staff for X Corps in Korea, commander of the 3rd Armored Division in Germany, assistant deputy chief of staff for personnel for the Department of the Army and commander of the 1st U.S. Army before taking over the Southern Command in 1965. His decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster and the Bronze Star. After moving to Madison, he helped found the Madison Library, was active with the Boy Scouts and was a member of the Lions Club, the Ruritan Club and the Red Cross. He was a trustee of Bloomfield School in Charlottesville and was a member of Piedmont Episcopal Church in Madison. The Virginia Forestry Board recognized him as Tree Farmer of the Year in 1995. His avocation was rhododendron gardening. Gen. Porter was the widower of Margaret Trumbull Porter, his wife of 40 years who died in 1973. Survivors include two daughters, Celia Dollarhide, of Alexandria, and Susan Walker, of Kansas City, Kan.; two sons, Robert W. Porter III, of Burke, and Henrik Peterson Porter, of Camas, Wash.; and a brother, T. Reginald Porter, of Santa Rosa, Calif. A funeral will be held Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at Piedmont Episcopal Church in Madison. Burial will be private at Middle River Farm, his farm in Hood.
General Robert William Porter, Jr., Middle Atlantic Chapter, died April 22, 2000 in Charlottesville, Virginia at the age of 91. He was a retired four star general and former commander in chief of the U.S. Southern Command. He was active in community and church affairs and helped found the library in Madison, Virginia. He was recognized as Tree Farmer of the Year in 1995. He grew many rhododendrons and was very generous in donations to the chapter auctions. He served on the Chapter Board for many years. His daughter, Celia Dollarhide, of Alexandria, was a Chapter member [until her untimely death in 2012]. Another daughter and two sons survive. Seen in Mid-Atlantic Rhododendron News and Notes, May 2000, the newsletter of the Middle Atlantic Chapter, Dr. Sandra McDonald, editor.
Dr. Robert L. Kellogg
Long-time MAC member Robert L. Kellogg died on January 3, 2004. Dr. Kellogg was a former English professor and dean of the University of Virginia’s College of Arts and Sciences. He had been a professor at UVA for 42 years. He retired from teaching in 1999.
He received his master’s and doctoral degrees from Harvard University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland.
He was fascinated with Iceland, became fluent in the language, bought a house there, researched Icelandic literature and spent many summers in Iceland.
Dr. Kellogg was devoted to gardening, taking after his father, a soil scientist. He was a member of MAC for many years and a good grower of azaleas.
Dr. John Neal, Jr.
Dr. John J. Neal, Jr., died Saturday, August 12, at Duke Hospital, Durham, NC. Dr. Neal had served on the MAC Board of Directors in the past. He had joined MAC in December 1975. He was active in several organizations including American Association for the Advancement of Science and our MAC Chapter of ARS, the Danville Life Saving Crew and the Hatteras Anglers. He had recently gone back to school to study painting and had become an accomplished painter. Memorial donations may be made to the Danville Life Saving Crew, 202 Christopher Lane in Danville, Virginia. Our deepest sympathy to his wife Caroline and to his family.
The End of an Era–Gladys Jenkins Wheeldon
Gladys Wheeldon, MAC member and widow of MAC Founder and orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Thomas F. Wheeldon, died on January 16, 2007. She was 94 years old. She had been a strong supporter of the chapter throughout the years even after Dr. Wheeldon’s death in 1976. At the first chapter meeting held March 23–25, 1952, Gladys Wheeldon signed as a guest, apparently not having a separate membership, although playing a strong supporting role to her husband who served as president of the Middle Atlantic Chapter (MAC) for over twelve years.
Mrs. Wheeldon had a membership in her own name after her husband’s death for a total involvement with MAC and rhododendrons of almost 55 years. In the early years of the chapter Mrs. Wheeldon hosted many speakers for MAC at the Wheeldon’s home in Richmond and was friends with early names in the rhododendron world such as Dr. Henry Skinner, Director of the U.S. National Arboretum; Frederic P. Lee, author of The Azalea Book; hybridizer Henry Yates; and Dr. Fred Coe. Some others she knew whose names appeared on the list of the first meeting and who are still remembered in the field were Joseph Gable, Anne Glass, Henry Hohman, Kenneth McDonald (Sr.), A.J. Shoosmith, L.G. Tingle, D.D. Withers, Peter Barber (of Exbury Estates -- whom she entertained), David Leach, and John C. Wister.
Mrs. Wheeldon received the Bronze Medal from the Middle Atlantic Chapter on May 10, 1980, for her generosity with time and money and sharing her garden, one of the outstanding ericaceous gardens in the South; and for sharing plants and cuttings, from Gladsgay as the garden and nursery were called.
She received the Award of Merit from MAC on April 26, 2003, for contributing to the founding, growth, and excellence of the chapter. She contributed many records of her own, as well as of Dr. Wheeldon and Gladsgay Gardens to the Rhododendron Manuscripts collection of the University of Virginia Library.
Mrs. Wheeldon was a financial benefactor for several rhododendron related causes including the rhododendron garden at the James Madison University Arboretum, the Middle Atlantic Chapter ARS, and the Rhododendron and Azalea Endowment Fund at the University of Virginia Library to which she made the key donation to get the fund started.
She was born and raised in Frostburg, Maryland. She graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1933 and earned certification as a registered physical therapist in 1937. She was active in the Women’s Board of Managers of Sheltering Arms Hospital and of the Richmond Academy of Medicine Auxiliary, the Council of the Virginia Museum, and several other organizations.
Mrs. Wheeldon was active in helping a group get Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in the Richmond area off the ground and established for the City of Richmond.
Mrs. Wheeldon welcomed visitors to her garden even after she was widowed until she moved to Westham Green in Richmond. She will be remembered by those who knew her for her graciousness, hospitality, generosity, and wit.
Harry Wise--MAC ARS Member Extraordinaire by Sandra McDonald
MAC lost a very valuable member on January 18, 2007. Harry Wise had been recovering from lung surgery he had in the late summer and suffered a fall when he went out to get the newspaper in January and two days later died at a hospital in Huntington, WV. A memorial service was held at Coonskin Park, where Harry had been active in planting and working in the park. Two county commissioners and a former governor were among the group who braved the bad winter weather to attend the service.
Harry had been very active in MAC and traveled long distances sometimes over icy roads from Charleston, WV, to most of the MAC meetings and board meetings wherever they were held. He joined ARS in 1965, was president of the chapter from 1981 to 1983, served as a MAC director, ultimately becoming Director Emeritus, a position he held at his death. He received the chapter’s Bronze Medal in 1984. One very valuable job Harry did was act as Chairman of the Nominations Committee where he could be counted on to come up with good candidates to fill officer and board positions over many, many years. He also started the chapter’s Seedling Sale with proceeds totaling over $2500 going to the ARS Research Foundation over a period of years. Harry was active in helping establish the Rhododendron and Azalea Endowment Fund at University of Virginia Library and the Rhododendron and Azalea Manuscripts Collection.
Harry served as an ARS District Director from 1988 to 1991. He received the American Horticultural Award of Merit in 1997 from the Garden Club of America, presented by the Kanawha Garden Club in recognition of his work for the ARS, the Master Gardeners, and Friends of Kanawha County Parks (Coonskin Park). Harry did much volunteer work at Coonskin Park planting, caring for, and maintaining rhododendrons, lilies, and irises. Harry said, "Plant propagating is one thing I truly enjoy. It’s the science behind it. "I grew up on a farm in Southern Alabama. I learned I did not want to be a farmer. That is work. This is fun."
Harry was a busy pollinator and hybridizer. He ran out of planting space for his seedlings and gave large numbers of them away. Many people will remember him fondly when they look at a mature seedling he gave them as a small plant.
Harry did not blow his own horn. He did so many things behind the scenes, helping people, cheering them up and helping them through difficult times. He will be remembered by many of us for his wise counsel. He was unfailingly generous, touched people of all ages, and expanded public awareness of Rhododendron. He was an enthusiastic worker, a good communicator, and expressed his opinions fearlessly. He had a good sense of humor and shared it with the chapter in some presentations he made. He was a faithful supporter of the chapter newsletter and supplied many leads and articles for it.
In 2004 Harry was honored with the ARS Silver Medal. Frank Pelurie had picked up the medal at the meeting in King of Prussia that Harry was not able to attend and later presented it to him.
Bob Schwarz of the West Virginia Gazette in an article about Harry after his death included this comment from a Master Gardener about Harry, "He was a cranky old guy, and I loved him dearly. You always knew where he stood on an issue, but it was never personal. He would blow off his steam, and then turn around and be as sweet and helpful as could be." She must be young!
Harry was no friend of deer since they destroyed so many rhododendrons. It is perhaps fitting that Doug Jolley, who arranged the memorial service for Harry, had to move a dead deer from his driveway the morning of the service before he could get out of his driveway.
Merl Audra Aitken
Longtime MAC member Merl Audra Aitken of Charleston, WV, died on February 2, 2007. He is survived by Margaret W. "Maggie" Aitken to whom he was married for 64 years, two sons, a daughter, several grandchildren, great grandchildren and other extended family.
Wally McKay
Walter (Wally) B. McKay, died on May 16, 2008 in Palmyra, Virginia, after an extended illness. Wally was the husband of Jane McKay, MAC membership chairman. He had come to a number of meetings before his illness. Besides Jane, he leaves a son, Darren, and daughter-in-law, Denise, and three grandchildren, Glenn, Danny, and Samantha.
Jim Bowyer
Longtime MAC member Jim Bowyer, 84, of Mt. Nebo, WV, died on June 30. His widow, Doris, two sons, three daughters, and grandchildren survive him. Jim was the owner/operator of Bowyer Mining Supply established in 1961.
Frank Arsen
Frank Arsen, a MAC associate member who lived on Long Island, died on June 25. Frank was 93 years old. Frank was a long time hybridizer. His hybrids inlcude 'Agateen', 'Amber Lantern', 'Ambrose Light', 'Arsen's Pink', 'Arsen's Rose', 'Bud's Yellow', 'Dora Frank', 'Gay Arsen', 'Irene Virag', 'Jim Fry', and 'Pride of Lindenhurst'.
Nancy Swell
Former MAC member Nancy Swell died on June 30 at the age of 80. She and her husband Leon ran a gardening business, Swell Azaleas, for 23 years in Henrico County. Nancy maintained over 700 azaleas at her home. She is known for discovering 'Pocono Pink" azalea and for the Ghost Fern.
David French Sauer
Long-time MAC member David French Sauer of Chester, Virginia, died on January 12, 2009. He was born in Richmond in 1929. David was an artist with a B.F.A. from Richmond Professional Institute (now VCU). He received a M.F.A. from Columbia University in Oriental Art History and also did further post graduate work there. He specialized in Southern Sung painting. He came back to Richmond and taught art at VCU. Later photography caught his interest and he studied under Ansel Adams at the Yosemite Workshop Series. During his impressive 60 year career as a painter he exhibited in New York City, Atlanta, Richmond, North Carolina, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and San Francisco.
David was a strong supporter of MAC since about 1976 and was well known to all the members who attended meetings. He was especially interested in evergreen azaleas, and he and Debby had fine collections of them, including some rare kurumes. They opened their garden in Chester for many MAC garden tours. David also gave talks about azaleas and had a Web site about them.
David and Debby were in the MAC Species Study Group and were among the group who made the famous extra long hike up Gregory Bald when the bridge was out.
John Withers
Long-time MAC member John Cure Withers, 87, of Mc-Gaheysville, Virginia, passed away on Thursday, January 29, 2009. He was born in Roanoke, Virginia on Dec. 10, 1921, and was a son of the late Douglas and Dorothy Cure Withers. John's father Douglas (known as D.D. to MAC friends) had been a MAC member for some years previously. John had been a member since before 1967.
John graduated from Roanoke College and was a World War II Air Force Veteran with the 339th Fighter Squadron. Among his accomplished citations, Captain Withers received the Distinguished Flying Cross Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters. John was a nurseryman and owned and operated Hi-Meadows Gardens in Mount Solon for many years. He enjoyed raising horses, cattle and tending to his azaleas and rhododendrons.
His wife LuDean Withers survives as does his daughter Dell Taylor (also a MAC member) and two sons, Dean Withers and John Withers, brother Douglas Withers and six grandchildren.
John was MAC's first P4M (Plants for Members) propagator back when Austin Kennell instigated our program before the Sheuchenkos then David Lay took it over. John took cuttings from some of his own plants and probably others also. John had been active in the chapter until the last few years.
Photo by W. Przypek
Dr. John L. Creech: Remembering a Legend
by Don Hyatt (reprinted with permission)
It is with great sadness that I learned of the passing of Dr. John Creech. He died on August 7, 2009, at the age of 89. As one of the preeminent Directors of the U. S. National Arboretum, he was responsible for many of the facility's salient features and I want to take a brief moment to reflect on a few of his many accomplishments.
Dr. Creech had a distinguished career as a plant scientist in the U. S. Department of Agriculture that lasted 33 years. From 1973 until he retired in 1980, he served as Director of the U. S. NationalArboretum. During World War II, he also served in the U.S. Army, but spent from 1943 to 1945 in a German prisoner-of-war camp. Always the horticulturist, he raised food on a plot of ground at the camp to help feed his fellow POWs. He was awarded the Bronze and Silver Stars for his valor.
In addition to 10 different plant collection trips to Asia focusing on the introduction of new plant material, some of his most notable contributions to the Arboretum included significant expansion to the Azalea collection, the creation of the National Herb Garden,and the establishment of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum.
I feel very fortunate to have been able to spend an afternoon with Dr. Creech at the National Arboretum during the 2006 ARS/ASA Convention we hosted in Rockville. I regret that I didn't have my camera or video camcorder with me to record every moment. I really appreciate the above photo taken by Dr. Hartwig Schepker that day. I will try to share a few of my memories on perhaps the final time Dr. Creech visited the Arboretum.
I have always attributed my interest in azalea hybridizing directly to Dr. Creech and I was happy that I had a chance to tell him so that afternoon. It was probably in the mid 1960's, before Dr. Creech had become Arboretum Director, when my parents took me for the annual trip to see the azalea display. Dr. Creech had set up an exhibit of evergreen azaleas to explain about hybridizing and asked people to vote on their favorite seedling.
All of the azaleas were from the same cross, and I remember being enamored by the subtle variations in color, flower shape, and size. The flowers ranged from pale lavender to pure white, and some had occasional purple flecks. Every azalea was beautiful and it was hard to decide, but that was the point I realized I wanted to make my own azalea crosses. The large hose-in-hose white must have won the popularity poll that day. Creech named it for the First Lady, ‘Mrs. L.B.J.'
One of Dr. Creech's greatest contributions surely is the world-class bonsai display at the Arboretum. He was the one responsible for obtaining that initial collection of dwarf trees and viewing stones, and that soon led to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, undoubtedly one of the finest collections outside of Japan.
That afternoon we walked through the Bonsai Pavilion including some of the "back rooms" while Dr. Creech shared so many marvelous stories. As we walked under the row of huge Cryptomerias flanking the main entrance to the Pavilion, he remarked how difficult it was to locate those matching specimens. He was glad to see that they were still growing so well.
We admired the various bonsai trees on display and he seemed to know each one personally. In work areas behind the scenes, he even recognized some of their original pots. He had a sparkle in his eye as he reminisced about so many little details during his tenure at the Arboretum.
Japan had offered the U.S. a collection of bonsai trees to honor our Bicentennial, so Dr. Creech and an assistant traveled to Japan to see that it became reality. Like any good plant collector, he brought back every plant possible on that trip, 53 bonsai, many of them centuries old, plus 7 viewing stones. Creech said there was no question that he would accept the priceless gift to our country, but he just wasn't sure how he was going to get them safely back to the United States.
He told us it would be easier to be forgiven rather than to get permission from the government in advance to do what needed to be done in order to guarantee safe shipment. Rather than packing the trees in crates and sending by standard methods that could damage them, he decided to charter a huge 747 jet and fly them home, first class. He had no idea how to pay for the shipping expense but he would worry about that later.
They first removed all the seats from the plane, then secured the bonsai to wooden pallets, and finally bolted them down so they wouldn't shift. By the time all the trees were loaded, there was no room for people so they curled up underneath the plants for the long flight home. The bonsai arrived in perfect condition but he admitted he was stiff. We thank you Dr. Creech! You will be missed!
Jane Goodrich
Jane Goodrich, widow of Ray Goodrich, died on November 21st after suffering a stroke earlier in the week. Jane was a member of MAC and also Potomac Valley Chapter. She knew a lot about the Gable rhododendrons and had been one of the original members of the Gable Study Group. The committee was headed by the late George Ring who worked with Caroline Gable and others documenting the work of Caroline's father Joe Gable. They transcribed his personal notes and letters, investigated his nursery records, and studied his plants in the woods at the Gable farm. The book Hybrids and Hybridizers by Livingston and West, has a summary of their work.
Jane had been a MAC member for many years although she had not been able to come to recent meetings.
Margaret K. White
Long-time PVC and MAC member Margaret Keister White died on January 5, 2010, at age 103. She would have been 104 in March. As many of you know Margaret had made plans to transfer her 13- acre garden in Falls Church to the Fairfax County Park Authority. It is supposed to become a horticultural park. The Potomac Valley Chapter had held picnics there for many years and Margaret's garden has been on tour for Rhododendron enthusiasts many times.
Jim Randall
Former MAC member James R. Randall of Willoughby, Ohio, formerly of St. Albans, WV, died on May 23rd. Jim worked at Carbide and Carbon Chemicals Company, a division of Union Carbide, South Charleston, West Virginia, where he knew Harry Wise.
Joseph Svobota
Former MAC member Joseph Svobota died this summer. He was an ophthalmologist in the Richmond area.
Ray Brush
Forrest Raymond Brush, 90, of Charlottesville, Virginia, died July 4, 2011 after suffering a fall. Ray served in the Army in Europe during World War II. After returning home he attended Michigan State College and received both BS and MS degrees. He worked for the USDA, and eventually joined the American Association of Nurserymen where he was quite active. He and his wife Betty moved to Madison, VA, in 1986 after his retirement. They moved to Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge in 2004 and then Ray became a Master Gardener. Ray was MAC Secretary from 1993 to 1996. He then became treasurer from 1996 to 2000. Ray received the MAC ARS Bronze Medal in 2001. Ray is survived by his wife Betty, his children and grandchildren.
John Buschmann
John Buschmann John B. Buschmann, 88, US Air Force, retired, of Bear Garden Farm in New Canton, Virginia, died on October 22, 2011. John was a P51 Mustang fighter pilot, and later a test pilot and flight instructor. At Bear Garden Farm he was an active farmer and participated in several organizations. He was into conservation and was helping to restore the American Chestnut trees and blue birds. John was a great source of support for MAC both through financial contributions and his educational efforts promoting the culture of rhododendrons at many meetings including several workshops at Bear Garden Farm. He was very social and often found talking about his favorite plant and animal conservation projects during the MAC social hours. John served on the MAC board of directors in the mid 1980s. He received the MAC ARS Bronze Medal in 1990, and the Award of Merit in 2004. John is survived by his wife Jean, his children and grandchildren.
David Lay
David Lay, 80, of Weems, VA, (PO Box 773, Irvington, VA), died on October 20, 2011. He grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. He graduated from Groton School and received his degree from Harvard College. He was a career officer with the Central Intelligence Agency, specializing in East Asian political affairs. He was stationed in the Far East for several years where he had his family with him. David was a bibliophile and liked to play chess. David’s father who ran a bookshop died when David was in his teens. In the mid-1970s David moved his family from Alexandria, Virginia, to the Northern Neck where he opened Northern Neck Nurseries, specializing in azaleas and camellias. He joined the MAC ARS in this time frame, his first meeting being in the fall of 1978 at Poor Robert’s Retreat. He was an avid plantsman and active in many plant societies. David and his wife Mary Lloyd had a beautiful garden which had even appeared in a TV gardening documentary. They welcomed visits to their garden for many meetings and even hosted two luncheons during MAC tours. David grew plants for the chapter’s Plants for Members (P4M) program for about 20 years, starting about 1983. He was chairman of the huge plant sale at the 1988 convention. David had served on the MAC board and was its president from 1985 to 1987. He contributed many articles to the MAC newsletter. David received the MAC ARS Bronze Medal in 1988, and the MAC Distinguished Service Citation in 2003. David is survived by his wife Mary Lloyd, his children, and grandchildren.
John Smith
John Smith, 84, of Stuart, Virginia, died on November 7, 2011. He was a graduate of Emory University with a BS degree in mathematics. He served with the Merchant Marines, and had retired as a cryptologist with the National Security Agency where he worked from 1950 through 1985, then later as an encryption consultant for E-Systems. He loved growing azaleas and rhododendrons and was a Master Gardener in addition to being a member of MAC since 2000. He is survived by his wife Carolyn, and children, grand children and great grandchildren.
Jane McKay
Jane McKay, 76, of Palymra, Virginia, died suddenly on November 15, 2011. In 1992 Jane and her husband Wally moved down to Palmyra, Virginia, from New York where they had been long time members of the New York Chapter ARS. Wally had retired from the US Postal Service. Jane was an associate member of MAC starting at least in 1988 and later moved her primary membership to MAC from the NY Chapter. Jane had been interested in azaleas, rhododendrons and other plants going back into the 1960s when she would attend NY Chapter ARS meetings with her father. Jane worked at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico in the early days of her marriage while Wally was stationed in New Mexico in the service. She knew many of the well-known rhododendron people in NY from that era. Jane had served a term as New York Chapter president, and was awarded the Bronze Medal by the NY Chapter. Jane was also active in the Holly Society of America in both the chapter in New York and later in the Colonial Virginia Chapter. She belonged to several other plant societies. Jane served as Registrar for the 1999 Eastern Regional Meeting hosted by MAC which drew 257 attendees.. She was on the MAC board of directors for many years and also served as Membership Chairman for 13 years. She wrote a column in our chapter newsletter which was popular with the membership. Jane received the Certificate of Appreciation from MAC in 2004, and then received the Bronze Medal from MAC in 2008. Jane is survived by her son Darren McKay of Holbrook, NY, his wife, and children.
Celia Porter Dollarhide
Celia Porter Dollarhide of Alexandria and Madison County, who served as Director of the Education Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs before retiring in 2001, died on Thursday, December 6, 2012, at her home in Alexandria, Virginia.
Mrs. Dollarhide began her 34 year career at the Veteran's Administration as a claims examiner at the Chicago Field Office in 1966. After moving to Washington, in 1972, she held various management positions within the Veterans Benefits Administration including Chief of the Program Administration Division and later Deputy Director of the Education Service. In 1994, she was promoted meritoriously to the Senior Executive Service and appointed Director of Education Services. A strong believer in the power of individual empowerment, she was a major proponent of enhanced education benefits for veterans and was instrumental in developing new legislation to further that goal. Her career was devoted to three different GI Bill programs, affecting hundreds of thousands of veterans. Throughout her career, Celia received numerous awards and professional recognition for her advocacy and leadership on behalf of veterans and their survivors, including the Department of Veterans Affairs Distinguished Career Award and the Department of Labor's Sonny Montgomery Award for significant contributions in support of veterans. She was the first recipient of the Bill Pearson Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award, named for the Veterans Benefits Administration's deputy Under Secretary. At the VA, Mrs. Dollarhide spent her working days seated behind the large lawyer's desk that had belonged to her husband Charles "Lew" Dollarhide who also served as the Director of the Education Service from 1980 until 1986. Mr. Dollarhide died in 1993.
The daughter of General Robert William Porter Jr. and Margaret Trumbull Porter, Mrs. Dollarhide was born at Fort Riley, Kansas, on January 4, 1940. She attended high school in Arlington, Virginia and Fort Knox, Kentucky; graduated from Frankfurt American High School in Frankfurt, Germany; and earned a B.A. at Grinnell College, in Grinnell, Iowa, in 1961.
After her retirement, Mrs. Dollarhide devoted herself to managing Middle River Farm in Madison County, Virginia. She was an active member and past president of the Middle Atlantic Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society, a founding member of the Piedmont Landowners Association, and received awards from the Virginia Department of Forestry for her activities promoting forestry stewardship and conservation. She was instrumental in placing Middle River Farm into a conservation easement just prior to her death. She was an active member of Soroptimist International of Washington, D.C., served on the board of Mount Carmel House in Washington and was a member of Piedmont Episcopal Church in Madison. Survivors include her brothers, Henrik P. Porter MD, of Camas, Washington, Robert W. Porter III and Debra of Burke; sister, Susan P. Walker and Earl of Charleston, South Carolina; niece, Kathryn M. Walker of Chicago; nephews, Lieutenant Colonel Allen D. Walker and Diane of Arlington, Jacob D. Porter and Molly of Fairfax; and Jeffrey R. Porter of Burke.
Sybil C. Przypek
YORKTOWN - Sybil C. Przypek, 76, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 25, 2013. Sybil was a native of North Carolina and a Yorktown resident since 1976. She was the daughter of the late W.B. and Winnie Cannon and was one of nineteen children. She retired from Fort Eustis in 1986 after 25 years of service. She was a York County Master Gardener and founder of the York County Learning Garden and Arborteum. She was a charter member of the Hampton Roads Horticultural Society, Azalea Society of America, Colonial Virginia Chapter of American Holly Society, and a member of the MAC Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society where she was a former President, Vice President and also served in other official positions. Sybil was honored with the highest MAC chapter award, the Bronze Medal. Sybil enjoyed and embraced the life of an Air Force wife and made many lifelong friends throughout their travels. She will be loved and missed by all that knew her. Sybil is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 55 years Walter; her daughters, Suzanne James and her husband Scott of Yorktown and Nancy Christopher and her husband Wally of Poquoson; 7 grandchildren, Heather, Jake, Kayleigh, Kevin, Lora, Kelley and Ashley and a great grandson, Thomas. A funeral service will be held at 1:00 PM on Monday, July 29, 2013 in Amory Funeral Home Chapel by Rev. David Hampton. Burial will follow in Peninsula Memorial Park. The family will receive friends on Sunday from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the York County Fire and Life Safety P.O. Box 532, Yorktown, VA 23692.
Published in Daily Press on July 27, 2013
Mavis Haywood
Miss Mavis Haywood who was at the formative meeting of the Middle Atlantic Chapter May 23- 25, 1952, and was the long time secretary and office manager for our chapter founder Dr. Thomas Wheeldon, died on November 9, 2013, in Tampa, Florida. She worked for Dr. Wheeldon for 34 years and then moved to Florida after Dr. Wheeldon died. In Florida she was a secretary at the University of South Florida where she met Dr. James Christensen and served as his office manager until her retirement in 2012.
While in Virginia, she served on the local and state boards of the Business and Professional Women’s Club and the Professional Secretaries Association and was president of the Richmond Medical Secretaries Association. She received the Bronze Medal from MAC in 2004.
Mavis did much to make the chapter successful in the early years, handling the paper work, plans, minutes, treasurer’s work, and correspondence. She also handled much of the office work for the small rhododendron propagation setup that Dr. Wheeldon had.
Mavis remained a MAC member all these years and was still reading the newsletter and occasionally commenting by phone or email on items of interest to her.
Ted Scott
Former longtime MAC member Ted Scott (Theodore Gourdin Scott, Jr.) was born May 7, 1919, in Orange County, VA, and died May 19, 2013, in Charlottesville, VA. He had been living at Sunnyside in Harrisonburg. Ted and his wife Carolyn attended many MAC meetings up until their household downsizing and move to Sunnyside in Harrisonburg from Orange, VA. Ted came to a few of the early MAC Species Study Group meetings, having had a strong interest in native plants.
He worked with the Virginia Native Plant Society (VNPS), including getting legislation passed in Virginia to prohibit the sale of purple loosestrife by getting it listed as a noxious weed. Ted enjoyed trips to visit the Canadian flora at the Bruce Peninsula on the Niagara Escarpment. He knew a lot about propagating plants and led a workshop for VNPS in that subject. There is a white oak, Quercus alba , at the Virginia State Arboretum in Boyce that was planted in 2000 to honor Ted and his years of work conserving native plant habitats. Several MAC members have fond memories of Ted, special conversations about plants with Don Hyatt and Bill Bedwell, hikes in the back country with Paul James, conversations about what he was growing at his place in Orange with me and then when Ted downsized, he gave me his four volume set of the Flora of West Virginia by Stausbaugh and Core.
Ted served in France, Luxembourg, Belgium and Germany with the 10th Armored Division in WWII. He had a degree in metallurgical engineering and worked for Cleveland Twist Drill Co. He joined the Massachusetts Audubon Society as director of program operations.
His wife Carolyn, four children, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren survive him.
Sharon M. Allender
Sharon M. Allender died on August 5, 2014, in Richmond. She had been an attorney in the Office of the Solicitor from 1971 to 1997 and had represented the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She is survived by her husband John Trezise, a son Mark, daughter Rachel Druff, a grandson, and five siblings. Sharon and her family had been living in Maryland, and just moved down to the Richmond area in 2013.
Rosa Carter
Rosa Carter, a former MAC treasurer, recipient of the Bronze Medal, and long time MAC member died on October 18, 2014. She was the widow of Harvie Carter. Rosa had worked for Estes Express for 45 years and was Corporate Secretary for them when she retired. Rosa was active in many other horticultural organizations. Rosa had withdrawn from MAC in recent years for health reasons.
Dr. Charles W. McComb
Dr. Charles W. McComb, a long-time MAC member passed away on January 1, 2015. Charles organized and was a founding member of the Colonial Virginia Chapter of the Holly Society of America. In recent years declining health kept him from attending MAC and other meetings.
Charles received his PhD from the University of Maryland. He worked for the Maryland Dept. of Agriculture as an Entomologist He and his wife Peggy lived in College Park, MD where they raised their three children. He was in charge of the Gypsy Moth Program for the State of Maryland and was also very active in the Mosquito Control Program there.
Among Charles' interests were gardening and birding, especially raptor watching. Before a professional raptor station was set up at Kiptopeak State Park on the Eastern Shore, Charles volunteered there and recorded sightings of hawks and eagles. Charles and Peggy would spend a couple of days there on a regular basis.
Since retiring he has lived in Bena, VA and served for many years as a member of he Gloucester County Mosquito Control Commission. Charles wrote A Field Guide to Insect Pests of Holly.
The date of the memorial service for Charles is March 14, 2015 at Hogg Funeral Home in Gloucester Point, VA
Dr. Martha Derthick
Dr. Martha Derthick passed away on January 12, 2015. She was a long-time MAC member and had retired from the University of Virginia where she had been in the government and foreign affairs faculty. She graduated from Hiram College and had a Master's Degree and Ph.D. from Radcliffe. She had published numerous books and articles. Previously she had been with the Brookings Institution s governmental Studies Program for 12 years.
She purchased the property of old-time MAC member Warren Cloud who had a large collection of Dexters, Gables, Glenn Dales and other plants. Martha did a lot of research on the collection and built a contemporary architect-designed house on the property. The top floor had a glass wall that looked out over the garden! At one time she opened her house and garden for a MAC tour.
Martha was fond of her cats. She was very interested in the history of Rhododendron hybridizers and traveled to many nurseries in the U.S. and even in Germany seeking plants and information. On June 21, 2002, Martha made the hike out Roan with our MAC Species Study Group and our German friend Dr. Hartwig Schepker from the Rhododendron Park in Bremen, Germany, and his film crew. She wrote an article for our newsletter some years ago about the Leach rhododendrons. She had an article in The Azalean for Summer 2014 which just came out about Beatrix Farrand and her gardens.
Anne Massie
Anne Massie, wife of MAC member Dr. William Massie of Lynchburg, Virginia, died on February 8, 2015. She had been an English teacher early in her career. She was active in the art world and had received several honors and national recognition for her water color paintings.
Dr.David Fluharty
Dr. David Fluharty died May 3, 2015. He had retired from Newport News to Taxco, Mexico, before 2000. He was more recently an at-large ARS member, but many years ago had been a member of the Middle Atlantic Chapter as well as the Tidewater Orchid Society and served as an ARS director before the district system was put in place.
Elizabeth (Betty) Wise
Former MAC member Elizabeth (Betty) Wise, 97, passed away July 16, 2015 in Raleigh, N.C., at Brookdale Sr. Living Facility, where she resided since 2007. She was the widow of long-time and very active MAC member Harry Wise. Harry died on January 18, 2007.
Betty was born in Clarksburg, WV, and graduated from Mary Baldwin College, Staunton, Va. in 1939. She married Joseph Phillip Ast III the next year and they had three children. After being widowed in 1947, she married Harry Lawson Wise in 1951 and resided in Charleston, until Harry's death. Betty liked tennis, swimming and other sports. She also enjoyed painting and was a member of the Allied Artist and Watercolor Society. She was a recipient of the "Emily Smith Medallion Award" for distinguished community service in 1970.
She is survived by her daughter, Nancy Hood Ast Wise Smith (Charlie), Raleigh, N.C.; and her son, Joseph Phillip Ast IV (Kathleen Kelly) Charlottesville, VA. Betty had four grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; one great-grandchild and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her daughter, Elizabeth (Susie) Fleming Ast Wise. Many of us will remember Betty and her warm and welcoming ways to newcomers in the chapter and her showing up in a clown wig with Jean Buschmann at one of our social hours and plant auctions! She was very supportive of Harry during all the time he spent working in MAC, hybridizing, going to ARS conventions and MAC meetings.
Rosalie Nachman
Former MAC member Rosalie Nachman of Richmond died on October 6, 2015. She and her husband Larry moved to a home on nearly an acre near the University of Richmond in 1952. Over the years, her gardening made its grounds into one of Richmond s most spectacular yards, according to a 1987 story in The Richmond News Leader. MAC members had several tours of her beautiful garden over the years. In addition to belonging to MAC, she was a long-time member of the Azalea Society of America. She loved azaleas and filled her yard with more than 1,000 azaleas. Rosalie gave talks about azaleas and camellias. She served on the board at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. Many groups and classes toured her yard.
Rosalie had a fine arts degree and used her artistic talent in composing her garden. She once said she liked red and purple azaleas together which is an unusual combination for many, but Rosalie made it work. Her garden was almost like a painting. There was a tremendous amount of plant material in a limited space, but with her talent, it worked.
Bruno Kaelin
Former MAC associate member Bruno Kaelin died on October 16, 2015. Bruno s primary membership was with the Potomac Valley Chapter, but he and his wife Evelyn came to many of our MAC meetings
Don Voss
REMEMBERING DONALD H. VOSS NOVEMBER 6, 1922 - AUGUST 12, 2016
by Donald W. Hyatt (Reprinted with permission of Don Hyatt from the Potomac Valley Chapter ARS Fall Newsletter: September 2016.)
I had planned an article about our hiking trips in this issue but decided to postpone that so I could reflect on the life of Donald Hagen Voss.
Don passed away on August 12 at the age of 93. He was more than just a good friend for over 40 years. He was a mentor, and an invaluable resource to me and many others. Don had a remarkable life.
The more I got to know Don, the more impressed I was with his intellect and depth of knowledge. It seemed to span all disciplines. Don had an air of authority but he did not try to intimidate. He never sought praise since the truly brilliant do not need such validation. I can still remember Don s humility as we presented him with the ARS Gold Medal in June of 2010 (photo below). The tribute on his plaque only hints at Don s lifetime of achievement and service:
For decades you have been a recognized authority on flower color, taxonomy and nomenclatural issues in the genus Rhododendron. Through your selfless volunteer efforts and willingness to share your specialized knowledge, you have benefited botanists and horticulturalists worldwide, which will have an impact for years to come. You are a prolific author who has written for the ARS Journal and many other prestigious publications. Your meticulous attention to detail, keen intellect and analytical skills have been appreciated in many ways, as District Director, technical reviewer, curator of herbarium specimens and advisor for many plant registrations. For these and many other lasting contributions you have made to the Society's goals, the American Rhododendron Society is pleased to present the Gold Medal to Donald H Voss.
A Life Member of the ARS and a highly respected leader, Don served as president of our chapter and he was president of the Northern Virginia Chapter ASA, too. He served simultaneously as our District IX Director and also a National Director for the ASA. Don could instantly see the big picture but at the same time he noticed every detail and could pick up any inconsistencies. That skill made him a valuable reviewer for both the ARS Research and Editorial Committees where he served for decades. I think he proofread almost every article I wrote for the ARS.
Professionally, Don was an economist. He attended Princeton University, earning a BS in Public Affairs (1947) and MS in Economics (1949). He did interrupt his studies to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II. Don reached the rank of Captain by 1946, but then shifted to reserve status to continue his education. In 1970, he retired from the Army reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel.
After receiving his degrees, Don taught economics at Princeton until 1952. He then became an Associate Professor at Bucknell University until 1961. In 1952, Don married Betty (Elizabeth) Anne Gartrell who was an illustrator. They had one son, Donald Jr., in 1954. Don s father-in-law was Robert Gartrell, the hybridizer of the Robin Hill Azaleas. Of course, Don's favorite Robin Hill was Betty Anne Voss .
In 1961, Don accepted a position with the Central Intelligence Agency and moved his family to Vienna, VA. He became an Economic Intelligence Officer for the CIA where he could apply his skills in data analysis in support of national security issues. Don was honored for his work at the CIA and had become a Division Director prior to his retirement in 1988.
Don was a prolific writer. He authored 37 articles in the ARS Journal and co-authored one other. He wrote profusely for the Azalean and other professional journals, too. Always the teacher, his articles typically had a strong educational component that might clarify some technical issue, such as why R. cumberlandense is no longer called R. bakeri. Don was a noted authority in colorimetry, taxonomy and botanical nomenclature. He made significant contributions in the field of standardization of color.
I worked with Don over the years on a number of projects. One motivation was that it gave us an excuse to regularly meet for lunch. An early project was a website about the Robin Hill Azaleas. Don had already finished registering all of his father-inlaw s hybrids and had written a number of articles about the Robin Hills. The website would be a source for online documentation and included many more images, detailed descriptions, and hybridizer notes. More recently, Don and I worked on a PowerPoint program about Rhododendron Registration. He provided the technical expertise and I did the programming and tried to gather photographs to help illustrate the concepts. There were sections about appropriate name selection, the registration process, botanical terms, and how to use the various color charts to evaluate a color accurately. That program is available through the ARS Store. (www.arsstore.org)
Don was a selfless person and a frequent volunteer. His record at the U.S. National Arboretum will not likely ever be matched. For 29 years, he volunteered several days a week at the Herbarium. He was honored many times for most volunteer service and probably exceeded 8000 hours over the years.
In one of his early Herbarium projects on the Glenn Dale Azaleas, he collated extensive floral and foliage specimens, literature descriptions, and photographs.
A tertiary author for another major USNA project, Don directed the final editing and publication of a 330-page document titled, A Catalog of Cultivated Woody Plants of the Southeastern United States (Collection No. 7). He even wrote a database to assist with analysis since the study involved more than 14,000 herbarium specimens, field notes, and photographs.
Naturally, Don checked every rhododendron in the Herbarium to make sure that the thousands of specimens were properly described with any name changes up to date. He also rechecked approximately 4000 entries in the Arboretum s Type Specimen and Horticultural Standards Collections. That study involved extensive literature searches. Don even ran the Herbarium for more than a year when the Collections Manager position was vacant.
Don was a private person and did live alone. He had no immediate family since his wife passed away in 1969 and his son died in 2008. His friends in the horticulture world had become his family.
Don would have been 94 on November 6. In recent years, he had become a bit shaky and used a cane, but he never lost his independence and was mentally sharp to the end. He continued to drive himself to the Arboretum through congested rush hour traffic two days week to continue his work at the Herbarium.
On Monday, July 4th, an incident that Don would refer to as stupid mistake led to his demise. While doing laundry in his basement, he reached for something and fell. He was unable to get up and had no way to contact anyone. It wasn't until Wednesday that he was discovered by his cleaning lady.
Don was weak, dehydrated, and bruised from failed attempts to get upright. They took him to Fairfax Hospital for a stay to stabilize him, and later moved him to a nursing facility. We thought he was on the mend, but sadly, Don developed aspiration pneumonia and that took his life in just a few days. I visited Don a number of times while he was in the hospital. I shared photographs from recent mountain hikes and images of unusual native azaleas or rhododendrons we had seen. A few days before he got pneumonia, Karel Bernady and I stopped by to see him. It would be my final visit. I brought images of all the variations of R. minus we have seen in the wild. Don was very interested in that species and had written two articles about it for the ARS Journal in 2014.
The dwarf purple R. minus var. smokianum fascinated Don. It covers the top of Mount LeConte but has a very small footprint in the wild. Don warned that it may be unique enough to be a separate species, but he said it was very important for us to formally describe that plant.
Then Don changed the subject. He thanked us for our friendship over so many years. He also wanted to say how important our field work in documenting native plants has been. Of course, we shared our mutual admiration of Don. It reminded me of some talks I had with my late mother the week before she passed. Yes, Don was saying goodbye.
Many people in our chapter asked about Don's final arrangements. As one could probably predict, he asked that there be no funeral or memorial service. He just wanted to be cremated and buried with his wife and son.
Don s passing made me realize how important it is to tell people how much they mean to you while they are living rather than wait for the eulogy. That is why I am so grateful I had those final moments with Don. He was an exceptional man and we will miss him, but he has left us a wonderful legacy.
Thank you, Don!
Walter Clarence Bell Jr.
Walter Clarence Bell Jr, 74, of Salem, passed away October 21, 2016. Walter is survived by his wife Barbara and many relatives and friends. Walter was a retired school teacher of Salem High School where he taught computers, math and other subjects over the years. He and his wife owned and operated Bell's Farm Nursery for 20 years growing and selling azaleas. Walter used to bring plants to our MAC meetings and also had the chapter tour his nursery, but he has been in poor health for a good while and hasn t attended recent meetings. The graveside service was Tuesday, October 25, 2016, Sherwood Memorial Park.
Kenneth McDonald Jr.
Kenneth McDonald Jr., of Hampton passed away January 31, 2017, after a long illness. He was born in Elizabeth City County, Virginia, to Kenneth McDonald and Helen Morris McDonald on February 5, 1935, in Dixie Hospital. He attended Virginia Military Institute, where he participated in cross country and swimming, and graduated in 1956 with a bachelor of science in civil engineering. After graduation from VMI, he entered the Army as a 2nd lieutenant and was stationed at Fort Bliss in Texas, Fort Sill in Oklahoma, and Hanau, Germany.
He retired from the Army as a Captain in 1963 and went to work with his father at Le-Mac Nurseries, Inc., in Hampton. Le-Mac Nurseries was founded in 1927 by Ken s father and a Frenchman, Jacques Legendre. The nursery at first grew general nursery stock and later specialized in growing evergreen azaleas to be shipped throughout the eastern U.S. to nurseries, garden centers, and florists. Ken took over management of Le-Mac in 1965 when his father died and continued there until his own retirement in 2004. The nursery name was changed to Le-Mac Azaleas in its later years, as its specialty was azaleas and rhododendrons
Ken enjoyed travel and hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains and other mountainous areas in the Southeast observing the native azaleas. He was active in many local and national associations including the Virginia Nurserymen s Association (past president), VMI Alumni Peninsula Chapter, American Rhododendron Society (district director), and was very active in the Middle Atlantic Chapter ARS as president and longtime board member. Ken was chair of MAC s Honors Committee and its Budget and Finance Committee for many years. He was involved in many chapter activities such as meeting planing and the Species Study Group and other projects over the years. He and Sandra received the Bronze Medal from MAC in May 1981, and he received another one in his name alone in May 1984. He was a member of the Colonial Virginia Chapter of the Holly Society of America (past chapter president and board member), Hampton Roads Horticultural Society (past president and board member), and served on the Hampton Roads Sanitation District Commission. Gardens of special interest are the Sandra and Kenneth McDonald Azalea and Rhododendron Garden at James Madison University s Edith J. Carrier Arboretum in Harrisonburg, VA, and the McDonald Hybrid Azaleas area at the Norfolk Botanical Garden in Norfolk.
Ken is survived by his wife of 42 years, Sandra Kibbee McDonald, Ph.D., children Kenneth Allen McDonald (Cheryl) of Smithfield; Amy McDonald Blow (Wes) of Newport News; Leslie Margot Gerber (John) of Berthoud, Colorado; Brian Neil McDonald (Margaret) of Memphis, Tennessee; Scott Douglas Gerber, Ph.D. of Ada, Ohio; granddaughter Isabel Alessandra McDonald, Tennessee; sister Marjorie McDonald Gordon (Bruce), Hawaii.
Clifford Ray Doggett
Clifford Ray Doggett, 88, passed away Friday, May 19, 2017. Ray retired from the insurance industry having been with both the Gett Insurance Agency and the B. Vaughan Noble Insurance Agency, Inc. He is survived by his wife, Alice Newbill Doggett; son, Clifford Ray Doggett, Jr., wife Katie; daughters, Sherri D. Torode, husband Chuck; Jerri Morgan Doggett; sister, Patricia D. Colonna and husband William; and a host of other relatives. Ray was vice president of MAC when then president Terry Sheuchenko died on December 17, 1994.
Ray became president at that time and served out the remainder of Terry s term plus a full term of his own which ended at the Spring Meeting in 1997. Ray had arranged for MAC Board Meetings at the library in Henrico County for many years. In his later years when living in Gloucester Point, Ray was active in the Colonial Virginia Chapter of the Holly Society of America
Jay Murray
Jay Murray, the former ARS Registrar died on January 13, 2017, at the age of 94. Jay and her husband Bob received the ARS Gold Medal in 1999. Jay and Bob received the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society s Loder Cup in 2006 for contributions in the field of horticulture. Jay was ARS Registrar for 27 years having taken on the job in 1985. When Jay and Bob took over the job, everything was paper, and pen or pencil in the mail. She and Bob developed a database to start keeping the records. Jay and Bob have been Associate Members of MAC for many years.
Robert MacIntyre
ARS Past President Bob MacIntyre died on Saturday, August 11, 2018. Bob was ARS president when MAC had its 2016 Convention in Williamsburg. He had become a member of our Middle Atlantic Chapter although his home chapter was the Southwest Oregon Chapter.
Donald Paul DeBanico
Donald Paul DeBanico passed away March 18, 2018. He graduated from the University of Colorado in June 1950 with a B.A. in political science and economics and went on to get his M.A. in secondary education. He was part of the Strategic Air Command during the Korean War and spent many hours in the B-47 Jet Bomber. During his time in the service he was stationed right below the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) in Korea, Australia, Japan. He was discharged from Military service in 1955 as a 1st Lieutenant, and went on to become a history teacher in Catskill, New York, and later a middle school principal. He and his wife, Elaine, resided in Charlottesville at the time of his death.
Gray Carter
Member died in July of this year. Gray had attended many MAC meetings in recent years even with his care giver. He had celebrated his 97th birthday in March. Gray went to Auburn University and University of Georgia. He was an engineer by training and worked at Westinghouse.
He had an artistic bent, having done wood carving, painting, needlepoint and furniture making among other things. He was a propagator who liked to give away his plants. His favorite plant was Rhododendron alabamense which reminded him of his southern roots.
Ronald Brown
Longtime MAC member Ronald (Ron) Brown, 89, of Harrisonburg, died Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018, at Sunnyside Retirement Community.
He was born Oct. 23, 1929, in Fairmont, W.Va. He grew up farming, and graduated from Morgantown High School. Ron was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and served during the Korean War. He retired from the U.S. Department of Agriculture s Farmers Home Administration, where he helped individual farmers, low-income families and seniors in rural areas secure loans for housing, farm improvement, water systems and emergency relief.
Ron had a wonderful garden at his home that was often open to friends and the public. He had fantastic tree peonies he grew from seed, and a woodland of Trillium. Ron always greeted visitors with a smile, a guided tour, and often a free plant or two. He was a long time member of MAC.
He volunteered at the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum at James Madison University. He led an effort to move over 500 donated plants from Le-Mac Azaleas into the arboretum s collection to help create the arboretum's McDonald Garden in 1994..
Ron received the Bronze Medal from MAC at the Colonial Heights Meeting, September 12, 1996, in recognition of his many years of participation and service to our Chapter, organizing a meeting in Harrisonburg, having his garden on tour, his many donations of plants to our auctions and sales, and his terrific efforts at the James Madison University Arboretum in helping Dr. Norlyn Bodkin to establish rhododendron and azalea gardens there.
He is survived by his wife, Norma L. Brown of Harrisonburg; daughter, Nicole M. Brown and partner, Katie E. Marion, of Malden, Mass., and grandsons, Zachary and Theodore, and five sisters and one brother.
Henry Mayo
MAC member Henry Casabianca Mayo died January 26, 2018. Henry was born on November 4, 1937 in Richmond, Virginia. His family moved to Arlington, Virginia, where he grew up and attended Wakefield High School and George Washington University where he studied Mechanical Engineering.
Henry worked for the Department of the Navy at the Naval Research Lab and for the Department of the Army at Fort Belvoir after graduation. He later worked as a patent researcher at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia. He held several patents privately but also for the government.
Henry created a conservation easement of land that has been continuously owned by his family for over 100 years in Goochland, Virginia and hoped that it would be passed down for generations to come. He loved the land and the Goochland area.
Henry is survived by his two daughters, Melanie Mayo-Rodgers (Ron) and Monica Mayo Condon (Mike) his two sons David Mayo (Ashley Kotania) and Ted Mayo (Ashley), two brothers, a sister, and seven grandchildren.
Franklin B. Pelurie
Former MAC member and MAC chapter president, Franklin B. Pelurie, of St. Albans, died Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Frank had transferred from MAC to the Great Lakes Chapter. He was born in Columbia, PA, on March 30, 1935, and lived there until he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1953. Frank served as an aviation electronics technician, and went on to work for Litton Industries, traveling the world while instructing on how to repair the A6 Intruder, one of the first fully electronic jets. He attended Ventura County Community College and later transferred to Penn State where he graduated with a degree in forestry in 1974.
Frank moved to WV in the late 1970s, and worked for the Nature Conservancy as a field supervisor for the Heritage Trust Program. He dedicated himself to preserving land across WV, and coordinated with state officials to write effective legislation to protect native species of trees and plants, including ginseng. Frank later worked for the WV Department of Natural Resources in the Water Resource Division until his retirement.
He was an active member of the Allegheny Trail Club, American Rhododendron Society, Brooks Bird Club, WV Rivers Coalition, WVU Extension Master Gardeners Program, and several other organizations. Frank was an avid river runner, frequently exploring rivers and trails, and educating people along the way about the state's prolificflowering rhododendron and mountain laurel. He worked closely with others, teaching them about plants, propagation, and grafting. Many of the azaleas along the Carriage Trail are a result of those efforts.
Frank had climbed Gregory Bald with the MAC Species Study group.
Frank is survived by his wife Mary Helen Sutton Pelurie of St. Albans, WV, two sons, a step-son, and seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Robert Jones Singleton, DDS
Former MAC member ROBERT JONES SINGLETON, DDS, 91 of Charleston, died April 27, 2019, at Edgewood Summit.
He was born January 22, 1928, and grew up in Mannington, WV. Bob was the youngest son of nine children. He graduated from Mannington High School one year early and then from West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon.
Bob joined the United States Navy, earning the rank of Lieutenant (O-3), and during the Korean War served as a dentist attached to a field hospital south of the Punchbowl often filling cavities using a potter's wheel driven drill.
After the war he joined a dental practice in Charleston with his brother, Charles R. Singleton. In 1954, he married Olivia Lakin Ray. They had three children: Marion S. Jones (married to George), the late Robert Ray Singleton and John A. Singleton (married to Margaret); and two grandchildren, Henry and Robert Singleton.
Bob lived a full and happy life. Known as the gentle dentist, he enjoyed breeding, training and riding horses, building and tending oversize vegetable, flower and shrubbery gardens and playing bridge.
Teri Bennett
BENNETT, Teri L., 61, of Powhatan, passed away Sunday, March 24, 2019. She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Doris Bennett; and is survived by her sister, Gale B. Washburn; brother, Mark Bennett and his wife, Sally; four nephews, Paul, Kevin, Ian and Craig; and many close family and friends. Teri graduated from Virginia Tech in 1980 and was an avid traveler and plant collector. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, April 16, 2019, at 3 p.m. at New Life United Methodist Church, 900 Old Hundred Rd., Midlothian, Va. 23114. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Nature Conservancy, https://support.nature.org.
Virginia Banks
Virginia Banks died suddenly on November 27, 2019 after an unexpected cardiac arrest. She is survived by her husband David Banks and son Larry Banks of Vienna, VA.
Virginia was born and raised in Portland, OR and graduated from Reed College in Portland. She and Dave met in college almost sixty years ago and she died two days before their fiftieth wedding anniversary.
She obtained a Masters degree in Library Science from the University of California at Los Angeles and worked for some years as a cataloguer at the Library of Congress. Virginia and Dave lived in Vienna, VA; Frankfurt, Germany; Rome, Italy; and, The Hague, Netherlands before retiring to Williamsburg in 2003.
Virginia was an avid plant person, especially interested in rhododendrons and azaleas. She was a long-time member of both the Azalea Society of America (Northern Virginia Chapter) and the American Rhododendron Society (sequentially members of the Potomac Valley Chapter, the Dutch Chapter, and the Middle Atlantic Chapter). Virginia was also an accomplished quilter.
Alice Doggett
Longtime MAC member Alice Marie Newbill Doggett died on August 7. She was 93. Alice was the widow of Ray Doggett who served as MAC
president 1995-1997 and helped him out in that work. She was a lovely, friendly hostess. She liked plants and grew a lot of African violets. She also liked her rhododendrons, azaleas, day lilies and hostas. Ray passed away in 2017. Alice was also predeceased by a daughter Jerri, son Cliff, and one grandchild. She is survived by her daughter Sherri and six grandchildren.
Patricia Stubbs
Wife of longtime member Kendon Stubbs, died on June 16, 2021. Pat attended MAC meetings around Charlottesville with Kendon. She was from Brooklyn, New York and had a lifelong career in education first teaching kindergarten students and later working at the Patricia Stubbs. Piedmont Virginia Community College in the library. She retired in 2003 as Director of the Learning Lab.
Ann Watson Mangels
Ann passed away on December 31, 2021. Ann and her husband Bill had many years of service in ARS. Ann was our District 9 Director in 2009 and 2010 and then served as Eastern Vice-President and then President of ARS. Ann received the ARS Gold Medal in 2021. Ann was born in 1941 in Baltimore and was a legal secretary Ann Mangels Snowy Owl. Photo by Doug Jolley. Ilex opaca with snow. Photo Doug Jolley. before her marriage to Bill. She became a realtor later on as her sons got older. Ann’s husband Bill served as District 9 Director before Ann did, so we were fortunate to have both of them come to many of our MAC meetings and get to know them. Ann’s memorial service was streamed from the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd on January 15. Many people were also in attendance at the service.
Elizabeth "Betty" White
MAC member Elizabeth “Betty” White of Ware Neck, Virginia was born February 7, 1923, and died March 20, 2022. She was well traveled around the world and served with the US Army-OSS and later worked for the CIA in Austria. She was married to Arthur White and lived in Bethesda, Maryland, and then later moved to Gloucester. They had a daughter Sally. Betty had a lovely garden that George McLellan was familiar with and arranged tours for MAC in the Gloucester - Ware Neck area.
David Anderton
David Anderton Long time MAC members may remember David Anderton and his wife Ruth. David was active in MAC during the 1988 Williamsburg Convention time. David died at the age of 94 on July 27, 2022. David and Ruth had been from Gloucester and moved to Williamsburg. He made many trips on the Liberty Ships and Troop Ships and later joined the Army and served in the Army of Occupation in Japan under Gen. Douglas MacArthur. He then went to work for the Peninsula Bank and Trust where he worked for 36 years and was Senior Vice-Presiden
Jean Beaudry
Jean Beaudry MAC and Potomac Valley member Jean Beaudry passed away on June 17, 2022. Jean was a very active member of the Potomac Valley Chapter as well as an associate MAC member. She and her husband Norman attended many of our MAC meetings. Jean was ARS Secretary and also helped Norman when he was Seed Exchange Chairman. Norman and Jean were also founding members of the “Sandwich Club” which studies the Dexter rhododendrons on Cape Cod. 4
Mary Barb
MAC member Mary Barb, 80, of Basye, Virginia, passed away on October 13, 2022. She owned and operated Barb Day Care until 2015. She loved children and their activities and was involve in many children’s organizations. Mary is survived by her husband Hubert, and three children Kevin Barb, James Barb (Julie), and Rebecca Jenkins, five grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. MAC members will remember Mary’s smiling face when she and Hubert came to our meetings.
Walter Anthony Przypek
Longtime MAC member Walter Anthony Przypek’s passing was reported in the May 3, 2023 issue of the Daily Press. Walter was born on June 13, 1934, in Poland, and died on April 30, 2023. He was a Retired Air Force Msgt with 21 years of service and served in both the Korea and Vietnam wars. He later worked as a civil servant for NASA and the Eastern Naval Oceanography Command. He served in many countries including Turkey, Taiwan, Thailand. He worked in developing secret crypto technology and helped in the development of quieter helicopters. Walter loved plants and had a garden with many azaleas and rhododendrons in Yorktown, Virginia. He was active in several other plant societies besides MAC ARS.
Walter was very generous with his talents in photography and computers. He sent disks of photos of our MAC meetings to the editor to be included in our newsletters. Walter’s wife Sybil was also active in MAC and died July 25, 2013. Walter leaves two daughters Suzanne Przypek James (Scott) of Yorktown, and Nancy Przypek Christopher (Wally) of Poquoson, VA, and grandchildren Heather, Jake, Lora, Kelley, Kayleigh, Kevin, and Ashley, and great grandchildren Thomas, Addison, Emma, Owen, Ania, and Dylan.