Richard C. “Dick” Butler Sr — In Memoriam by Tom W. Dillard
The Society for Louisiana Irises lost a dedicated and productive member with the death September 13, 1999 of Richard Colburn Butler, Sr.(1910 – 1999) of Little Rock, Arkansas. An SLI member since the 1960s, Dick grew large numbers of Louisiana irises, shared them with individuals and organizations throughout the nation, and also tried his hand at hybridizing. Born in Little Rock […]
Shirley Caillet Welch — In Memoriam by Tom Dillard
SLI members who know and love the beautiful pink Louisiana iris named ‘Aunt Shirley’ (Mertzweiller 90) will be saddened to learn that its namesake, Mrs. Shirley Caillet Welch of Little Elm, Texas died in March at the age of 99. Mrs. Welch was the sister of SLI founding member and leader Miss Marie Caillet. Born […]
Ila Nunn — In Memoriam
Ila (Mrs.Stayton) Nunn of Houston, Texas died on June 18, 1998 at the age of 96. She had been an active member of the Society for Louisiana Irises and the American Iris Society for over 40 years. She also belonged to several AIS Sections and she was a contributor to the book, The World of Irises. She was part of the group in Houston that organized the Spuria Iris […]
Charles “Chuck” Begnaud — In Memoriam
Charles “Chuck” Begnaud, a longtime member of the Society and a fixture at the annual meetings in Lafayette, died April 2, 1998 after a brutal beating and stabbing at his home on the afternoon of March 13. He was severely beaten about his head and his throat had been slashed twice, apparently during a robbery. His wife found him unconscious when she returned home late in the afternoon. He never regained […]
In Memoriam – Mary Dunn
Members of the American Iris Society and especially those that grow Louisiana irises were saddened by the death of Mary Dunn of North Highlands, California on October 5, 1997. She died in her home after a long bout with lung cancer. Many of her iris friends had a chance to visit with Mary during the […]
In Memoriam – Joseph K. Mertzweiller
Joseph K. Mertzweiller, who served the Society for Louisiana Irises as president, board member, chairman of the Scientific Committee and longtime chairman of the Publication Committee, passed away on June 26, 1997 at his residence in Baton Rouge. He was born in New Orleans in 1920 and grew up in the area. In 1941 he […]
In Memory of Velera Chenoweth
Valera Chenoweth died June 12th, 1996, in Canadian, Texas, at the age of 79. Valera was a Society for Louisiana Irises (SLI) member for more than twenty years and attended a number of SLI meetings in Lafayette, LA. She developed an interest in Louisiana irises while living in Lemon Grove, CA. A retired Master Judge […]
Kay Nelson-Keppel — In Memoriam
Kay Nelson-Keppel passed away late on the night of August 7, 1994. Kay was previously awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by AIS and in 1994 she was honored with the highest honor in AIS, the Gold Medal, for her many years of dedicated service. Kay first began working with AIS counting ballots when her father, J. Arthur Nelson, was AIS […]
Sidney Conger – In Memoriam
by Ron Killingsworth Sidney Conger was born in July 1924, in his grandparent’s home at Arcadia, LA. He died in August 1993, in Houston, TX, and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Ruston, LA. Sidney’s wife of almost 40 years, Bette Lee Davis Conger, now resides near her daughter in Maryland. Sidney and Bette Lee […]
Leon C. Wolford — In Memoriam
Leon C. Wolford, 75, of Whitewright, Texas, a life member of the Society for Louisiana Irises, died on Friday, Aug. 13, 1993. Until recent years, he regularly attended the SLI Spring Meeting and Show, and served a term on the SLI board of directors. He was president of the American Iris Society from 1978-1980, and was awarded the prestigious AIS Distinguished Service […]
