Society for Louisiana Irises Honorary Awards
The Society for Louisiana Irises has established a series of awards to honor individuals for services to the Society. The following identifies those awards and the criteria for each.
Service Award: This is an award presented to an individual who has given unselfishly of time, service and support of the Society over and above the duties of an office held or committee duties performed. An individual or group who has been a member of the Society for the past five years shall be eligible. Recipients of this award are no longer eligible for this same award.
Distinguished Merit Award: This award is made to a living individual, group or organization that has promoted Louisiana irises in some outstanding manner, such as service, promotion, writing, presenting programs, teaching of judging schools, hybridizing, growing and other valuable contributions. Society membership is not required. Recipients of this award are no longer eligible for this same award.
Past Recipients of the Service Award
1947 – W. B. MacMillan
1948 – Caroline Dormon
1949 – Ira S. Nelson
1950 – Marie Caillet
1951 – Claude W. Davis
1952 – Lillian Hall Trichell
1953 – Mr. and Mrs. Ray Cornay
1954 – R. S. Abbott
1955 – Joel L. Fletcher Sr.
1956 – Charles W. Arny Jr.
1957 – Joe G. Richard
1958 – Aline Arceneaux
1959 – Tressie Cook
1960 – G. W. Holleyman
1961 – Frank F. Chowning
1962 – Ila Nunn
1963 – Sidney Conger
1964 – Jules Patin
1965 – John Cockerham
1966 – Barbara Nelson
1967 – Joseph K. Mertzweiller
1968 – Faenelia Hicks
1969 – Havely Guillory
1970 – James Foret
1971 – Bud McSparrin
1972 – Mrs. E. P. Arceneaux
1973 – Thomas J. Arceneaux
1974 – W. Ellis Fletcher
1975 – Russella Gaidry (Ostheimer)
1976 – Joyce Arny
1977 – Richard A. Goula
1978 – The Lafayette Garden Club
1979 – Kenneth Durio Family
1980 – Eliene Rockwell
1981 – Helen Chieri
1982 – Robert Andres
1983 – Charles Fritchie
1984 – Ed Ostheimer
1985 – Robert Bledsoe
1986 – W. Dean Lee
1987 – No recipient
1988 – No recipient
1989 – No recipient
1990 – Dorman Hayman
1991 – Russell and Elaine Bourque
1992 – Jerry and Melody Wilhoit
1993 – Marvin Granger
1994 – Farron Campbell
1995 – Dennis Vercher
1996 – Perry Deyer
1997 – No recipient
1998 – Tom Dillard and Albert (Bobo) Faggard
1999 – No recipient
2000 – No recipient
2001 – Kevin Vaughn
2002 – Harry Wolford
2003 – Darlene Cook
2004 – Edna Claunch and Tim Nutt
2005 – Earline Sudduth
2006 – No recipient
2007 – Lou Goudeaux
2008 – Rebecca Wong
2009 – Richard Sloan
2010 – Ron Betzer
2011 – Wendell Hall and John Helmkauf
2012 – No recipient
2013 – No recipient
2014 – No recipient
2015 – Rebecca Wong
Past Recipients of the Distinguished Mert Award
1988 – Award established by the SLI board
1989 – Marie Caillet
1990 – Charles W. Arny
1991 – Aline Marie Arceneaux
1992 – Joseph K. Mertzweiller
1993 – Dean Lee and Laurel Bridgman
1994 – Barbara Nelson
1995 – Garden Club of Houston and Josephine Shanks
1996 – Caroline Dorman Nature Preserve
1997 – Rainbow Ridge Nursery
1998 – No recipient
1999 – No recipient
2000 – No recipient
2001 – No recipient
2002 – Heather Pryor
2003 – Patrick O’Connor
2004 – Kevin Vaughn
2005 – Edna Claunch
2006 – No recipient
2007 – No recipient
2008 – Harry Wolford
2009 – No recipient
2010 – No recipient
2011 – No recipient
2012 – No recipient
2013 – Tom Dillard
2014 – No recipient
2015 – No recipient
2016 – Benny Trahan
2017 – Ron Killingsworth
2018 – No recipient
2019 – Bobbie Ann Hutchins and Stan Schikowitz (joint award)
