Rhododendron and
Azalea News

Bronze Medal Awardees

Yolanta Siwinski
Fraser Valley Chapter

We present to Yolanta Siwiski the American Rhododendron Society's Bronze Medal for your many significant contributions to the Fraser Valley Chapter. The members of the Fraser Valley Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society are very pleased to present you our chapter's highest award.

Your enthusiasm at meetings, plant sales, and other events is contagious. Your ability to engage others in conversation and to make them feel special due to your interest in them has made your participation a valuable asset to the chapter and all of its endeavors.

During your term as president, you were instrumental in establishing the Whonnock Lake Rhododendron Garden at Whonnock Lake Community Center. It was your vision and determination that brought the project to fruition and laid the groundwork for its further development.

Through your energy, friendship, generosity, warmth, and enthusiastic presence, you have added greatly to the success and enjoyment of all of our chapter activities. Therefore, with sincere appreciation, the members of the Fraser Valley Chapter are very pleased to present you with the ARS Bronze Medal.

Having brought your love of gardening from another country and another continent to New England, you have shared this love with both the Massachusetts and Connecticut chapters of the American Rhododendron Society. As you have given in twos, so have you reaped since this will be your second Bronze Medal honoring your work, surely a rare, if not unique occurrence.

Hybridizing is a painstaking effort that requires extensive knowledge of our genus, imagination arranging the best marriages, skill in propagation, meticulous recordkeeping, and patience in evaluation.

Friend, follower, and fellow hybridizer of Dr. Gus Mehiquist, you have been our guru of the seed exchange since 1996, having also served as vice president of the chapter among other positions. Your Cross of the Year calls all of us to join you in pursuit of growing the next wonderful rhododendron hybrid. Mystery, beauty, and immortality come in small packages designed by you.

The chapter is proud to present you with its highest award, the Bronze Medal of the American Rhododendron Society.

Their certificate reads, "The medal is received for their devotion to the Society and professionalism displayed in the execution of their duties."

As newsletter editor, Noni's knowledge of desktop publishing and other personal touches were well-displayed. She is also the chapter librarian, and is responsible for the ever-increasing number of quality books.

Dave has been ways & means director for the past three years, and has been instrumental in the success of our annual plant sale and garden tour. He is the driving force that keeps our website up-to-date.

Noni and Dave contribute endless hours to the chapter and can be seen hard at work at most North Island Rhododendron Society events.

As a charter member, you have helped to nurture and shape the Noyo Chapter into the successful group that it is today. Your service has included several terms on the board of directors, chairman and co-chairman of our annual rhododendron show, the countless years organizing the yearly plant sales. You have participated fully in chapter activities and the generosity of your plant donations to our raffles never failed to amaze us. You have always shown your willingness to share your knowledge with others and have helped many members to start on a lifetime journey of hybridizing and propagating. You have inspired our membership with your enthusiasm and love of rhododendrons.

For all of these reasons, and many other wonderful qualities, it is great pleasure to present to you this Bronze Medal. May 17, 2008.

You have inspired the membership for many years with your enthusiasm and participation in chapter events. Your clear thinking and historical perspective are invaluable as you have served on the chapter’s board of directors. You have brighten the days for the members who receive the greeting cards you so faithfully sent for get-well, birthday, and other appropriate occasions. Additionally, you have served members from the kitchen at meetings, Christmas dinners, potlucks, and shows. Besides generously giving of your time, you work apparently effortlessly as you go about your tasks, always with a smile and encouraging work.

Our chapter is most fortunate to have you as such a dedicated member. The Bronze Medal is gratefully awarded to Rose Profitt for exceptional service to the Noyo Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society. May 17, 2008.

As a 1987 Master Gardener graduate, much of your payback time for the program has been at Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. You developed a love and appreciation for this beautiful garden and its friendly volunteers. You served as Garden chairman and have done a great job with your ability to get along with others, your good nature, and your dedication to upgrading and keeping the Garden as a showplace.

You have spent many hours coordinating and instructing the volunteers, keeping records, planning work parties, arranging luncheons, leading garden tours, and assisting with annual plant sales. You have also worked hard in various ways to make the beds look "just right."

For your outstanding service, the Portland Chapter, of the American Rhododendron Society, is pleased to present the Bronze Medal to Beverly Watkins. May 16, 2008.

After his presentation, Buddy Lee presented the award to the Colemans. In part, Buddy said, "...you have given your time and energy by developing and giving presentations, serving at the local and national levels of our Society, presiding over flower shows and opening your wonderful azalea garden to all. Your love for azaleas and sharing of your knowledge has truly advanced our Society..."

Similar awards were presented to Ed Collins and Buddy Lee. Those of us who have known the Colemens over the years are fully aware of their service and extend our congratulations for this well-deserved honor.

Deaths

Jean Haurand Furman
Princeton Chapter

After graduating from Colby College, Waterville, Maine, with a degree in chemistry, Jean worked as a chemist for American Cyanamid. She later received a master of science degree in library information science from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York, and worked as a technical information specialist for American Cyanamid, Allied-signal, Exxon Biomedical Sciences, and J. McNeil Specialty Products. Her work in research and her many talents were awarded and recognized by Sigma Xi, the honorary scientific research society.

Jean, a member of the Princeton Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society for more than 25 years, especially loved growing dwarf plants and delicate miniature flowers in her cherished rock garden. In fact, she created more than fifty troughs filled with all manner of beautiful alpine plants.

Many of us knew Jean for her love of photography and her prize-winning compositions featuring rhododendrons and azaleas. In fact, photographs of her garden can be seen in Sonya Nelson's book Rhododendrons in the Landscape. Jean was also an important part of the 1996 NERC Convention where she was in charge of the photo show and competition. With admirable skill she made sure that each and every entry was perfectly mounted and displayed. On more than one occasion, she participated as a speaker at our monthly meetings demonstrating how to take prize-winning photos.

A willing volunteer in a wide range of charitable community activities, an energetic participant in gardening clubs and our ARS, a brilliant talented woman, a dear wife and mother, and we shall all miss Jean Haurand Furman's courage, spirit, and friendship.

Harold Robertson
Midwest Chapter

He was a member of the Midwest Chapter and beloved husband of Margaret Neis-Robertson. He was preceded in death by his cherished wife of 49 years, Elizabeth "Betty" Robertson.

At 60 years of age, Harold was founder and CEO of Venture Electrical Contractors in Waukesha, Wisconsin. He was a long-time resident of Franklin, Wisconsin, serving as an alderman for ten years.

Harold was proud of his 17-year involvement as coach in the Hales Corners Little League. When he wasn't busy serving on numerous committees and boards, Harold was busy as an avid golfer, traveler, fisherman, and gardener. He was especially proud of his prize winning show flowers, with dahlias as his specialty. Harold was a member of the Midwest Chapter for nine years. He attended every annual truss and plant sale in Glencoe, Illinois, where he purchased many rhododendrons for his beautiful garden.

Harold will be missed greatly, but his legacy in the chapter will continue, as his wife, Margaret, will be on board to grow those wonderful plants and continue being a member of the American Rhododendron Society.

- Tadeusz Dauksza

Roland B. Mayne
California Chapter

Roland Mayne of Oakland, California, died September 2, 2006, at the age of 84.

Roland will be remembered by many because of the conferences that he and his wife, Gwen, attended over the many years of their American Rhododendron Society activities together. His warm, friendly nature and good humor are remembered by all who knew him. California Chapter members remembers him as being the man who did almost everything.

Roland served in almost every capacity in the California Chapter, and also as District 5 director. He was renowned for being able to start rhododendrons from cuttings, for propagating plants in general and sharing them with others, for growing copious amounts of various delicious berries, and for grafting many varieties of a fruit tree onto a single trunk.

He was raised in Edes, Colorado. He attended the University of Colorado, Boulder, and then joined the U.S. Army Air Corps to serve his country in World War II. He moved to California in 1949. He was a long-term Alameda County Analyst and Executive Officer of the Alameda County Local Agency Formation Commission.

Roland and Gwen enjoyed working in their award-winning garden. Besides being active in the ARS, Roland was active with the California Rare and Unique Fruit Growers, the Business Men's Garden Club, the Covenant Church, the Boy Scouts of America, the California Historical Society, and various backpacking and fishing groups.

Robert J. Riddell, Jr.
California Chapter

Bob and his wife, Kay, were 30-year-members of the California Chapter. Bob will be remembered as a wonderful, thoughtful man with a wealth of knowledge about the plant world. Bob and Kay were generous with their time and in sharing their beautiful El Cerrito garden with members.

Bob was a theoretical physicist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and a long-time volunteer in the local community. In addition to his career at LBNL, Bob served Pacific School of Religion over a 30-year period as a trustee and was a lifetime trustee at the Graduate Theological Union, a consortium of nine seminaries, including the Pacific School of Religion.

He was born and raised in Peoria, Illinois. He was recognized as one of ten outstanding high school students in 1941 with a George Westinghouse scholarship. He earned a bachelor's degree from Carnegie Institute of Technology before entering the U.S. Navy. After World War II, he earned his master's and Ph.D. degrees in high-energy particle physics at the University of Michigan.

In 1951, Bob joined the faculty at the University of California, Berkeley, at the invitation of Edward Teller, the father of the hydrogen bomb. In 1955, he joined the Theoretical Physics Group of the U.C. Radiation Laboratory (now the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), where he served until his retirement in 1982, apart from two years on assignment at the Atomic Energy Commission in Washington, D.C., from 1958 to 1960.

In retirement, Bob and Kay began to satisfy their deep passion for horticulture by gradually developing a magnificent garden at their home in El Cerrito. It was filled with unusual rhododendrons, proteas, and other plants from around the world. He was invited to join the Board of the Friends of the University of California Botanical Garden. He later became president and worked to revitalize the Friends Group, which in turn revitalized the Botanical Garden and helped reestablish it as one of the preeminent botanic gardens in the United States.

Howard H. Roberts
Greater Philadelphia Chapter

Howard grew up in Pennsylvania on land deeded by William Penn to his Welsh ancestor John Roberts. He served as an ambulance driver for the American Field Service in India during World War II. Afterwards, he graduated from Princeton University. He worked in real estate, banking and advertising, and as an executive for a uniform manufacturer.

In 1951 he married Joan Church and together they lived in Rosemont for 37 year, where he developed a wonderful garden. Howard was active in his church. He was a volunteer and served on the Board of the Dolphins of Delaware Valley, whose members visit nursing home residents.

A member of the Greater Philadelphia Chapter, Howard was a devoted worker in its activities. He served as chapter president and director. Howard co-chaired the plant sale committee and helped continue the success of this enterprise. He organized the chapter's seed exchange and developed it into a regional and district function. He was a contributor to the Journal of the American Rhododendron Society. He described in two articles the gardens and activities of the 2004 ARS International Convention at King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. He enthusiastically sought to attract new members of the Society to involve them in the workings of the organization. The Greater Philadelphia Chapter awarded Howard the Bronze Medal.

Howard was a plantsman and hybridizer. His quest was to create a good yellow rhododendron for the Philadelphia climate. He grew more than 400 plants in his garden. Included were his own hybrids and those from ARS Seed Exchange and chapter contributors. We looked forward to seeing the new hybrids he exhibited at the chapter's truss shows and he never disappointed us. Most recently, he wrote in the Journal on hybridizing: "Why our best hybrids tend to turn up in other people's gardens."

Howard also pushed the limits of hardiness by testing plants considered too tender for his clime. His success in growing and flowering several of these caused one well-known expert to call him admiringly, "Steam-pipe Roberts." With his usual grace and humor Howard accepted the ribbing and complement with a smile.

- Karel Bernady

Frank Arsen
New York Chapter

The New York Chapter's oldest member and avid rhododendron hybridizer recently passed away on June 25, 2008, at the age of 93. Frank Arsen was born on December 4, 1914, and grew up in Plainview, New York, and was a volunteer fireman for Plainview's Fire Department. His love of rhododendrons began with his mother's appreciation of growing them at their home.

Frank and his wife, Gay, resided in Lindenhurst where they raised their two sons, Ted and Eric. There they raised various varieties of azaleas, rhododendrons, and many other specimen plants. He served as the chapter's vice president and chairman of azalea study groups.

On June 3, 1979, the chapter awarded him the Bronze Medal in recognition of his generosity in sharing with us his knowledge of and experience with the genus rhododendron and for his cheerful and able assistance in all chapter activities.

The registered lepidote hybrids which Frank is well-known for are: 'Agateen', 'Amber Lantern', 'Ambrose Light', and 'Arsen's Pink'. ‘Bud’s Yellow’ named and registered by Bud Gehnrich was hybridized by Frank. Agateen was named after the Agateen Lacquer business where Frank and Gay were both employed. Amber Lantern was a restaurant where he "courted" Gay and Ambrose Light was named after the Ambrose light ship which was Frank's first sighting of the New York Harbor upon returning from the War after four years overseas.

Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay on Long Island is privileged to have some of Frank's lepidotes planted in the New York Chapter's Hybridizer's Garden in serve in memory of his accomplishments.

We shall truly miss his 46 years of his wonderful dedication and his beloved friendship.

- Cathy Bird

Francis Raughley

Francis Raughley died July 5, 2008, at age 86, at Christiana Hospital.

Francis was born in Dover, Maryland, June 11, 1922, to Francis Hamm Raughley, Sr. and Lillian McKdeen Raughley. He graduated from Dover High School and the University of Delaware with a bachleor’s degree in chemical engineering. He served in World War II and was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart among other decorations.

Francis was a project engineer for the DuPont Company, retiring in 1985. He then studied at the Arboretum School of the Barnes Foundation in Merio, Pennsylvania, was a garden guide at Winterthur Museum for eight years and attended the Academy of Lifelong Learning. As an avid gardener he was a member of several rhododendron, day lily, and holly societies, and his garden was on national tours. He also was a member of the Delaware Genealogy Society.

Lou Mraw
Princeton Chapter

Lou, a long-time member of the Princeton Chapter, was an avid gardener and active participant in many chapter activities. He enjoyed hybridizing and registered 'Lemon Girl', a lovely yellow carolinianum x lutesens cross with a blotched funnel shaped flower. Lou also introduced 'White Shade', a handsome 'Doctor Stocker' x yak cross, grown from seed or received as a seedling.

Hal Davis
Azalea Chapter

The Davises are special and we want to be sure to remember Edith and her family during this most difficult time.

2009 ARS Annual Convention, District 2, Everett, Washington - April 30 to May 3.

2009 ARS Western Regional Conference, Tacoma, WA - September 17-20.

2009 Eastern Regional Conference, District 8, Philadelphia, PA - Oct. 22 - 25.

2010 ARS Annual Convention, District 7, Long Island, N.Y. - May 14-17.

A deep thought to ponder...

Remember that the people on our planet are not standing
in a line single file.
Look closely.
Everyone is really standing in a circle, holding hands.
Whatever you give to the person standing next to you,
it eventually comes back to you.

There is a destiny that makes us brothers;
None goes his way alone.
All that we send into the lives of others
Comes back into our own.

-Edwin Markham