QBARS - v26n2 Seattle Chapter Celebrates Its Twentieth Anniversary

Seattle Chapter Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary
M. W. Baird, Bellevue, Washington

Donald McClure Bronze medal award
FIG. 50. Donald McClure receiving Bronze Medal from
Dr. Brockenbrough. Also shown are Edward
Dunn and Donald Graham.
Photo by Jock Brydon

At the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the Seattle Chapter, 135 members gathered for dinner at the Edgewater Inn on December 1, 1971. President Brockenbrough and John Putnam, chairman of the Study Group, and their wives presided at the head table.

Guests of honor seated there and introduced by the President were some of our charter members. Mr. and Mrs. Donald Graham, Mrs. Charles Sully, Mrs. Kerry Trimble, Mr. and Mrs. Linley Janzen, Edward Dunn, Fred Delkin, Brian Mulligan, Fred Robbins, and Mrs. Endre Ostbo, widow of the late Mr. Ostbo, and guest speaker P. H. Brydon and Mrs. Brydon.

Mr. Graham told a little about the forming of the Chapter mentioning, among others, Herbert Ihrig and the late Clarence Prentice. Donald McClure then gave an amusing and interesting resume of the Chapter's growth and history.

Dr. C. E. Simons, Jr., honors chairman, presented a Bronze Medal to each of the following very deserving members:

  • Donald Graham, for his organizing efforts and continuing support; Elizabeth Lansdowne, for secretarial work "above and beyond the call of duty";
  • Edward Hartnett, our dependable, tireless, amiable treasurer, for being same!
  • Brian Mulligan, Director of the University of Washington Arboretum, for his able advice and willingness to help the Chapter wherever possible;
  • Arthur Luther, a former treasurer, for being an ubiquitous and available helper;
  • And last but not least, Donald McClure, for 19½ years a hard and sincere worker in almost every position in the Chapter; like a mother lion, he has growled and patted us through the good and bad times!

We then heard a most enjoyable talk by Mr. Brydon on rhododendrons in the Species Foundation collection with excellent slides of the specimens in gardens of Great Britain and also in Fred Robbins' collection.

A great evening was had by all, including, we trust, Newton Edwards of Alexandria, Virginia, President of the middle Atlantic Chapter.