Remembering Friends BY JIM MORRIS, OBITUARIES EDITOR, MISSOURI
Managing Editor’s Message
We thank Frank Foster (the old Vagabond of
Vagabond Gardens in Colorado, now living in a senior
retirement home in Salem, OR) for bringing to our
attention the demise in late 2015 of Verona Mae
Wiekhorst, formerly Region 20, Colorado Springs and
HIPS treasurer 1988-98. Also of note is the recent passing
of French iris hybridizer Jean Cayeux of the famous
Cayeux family of iris breeders. Four generations of the
Cayeux family have registered over 300 irises with more
than 50 TBs attributed to Jean Cayeux.
Kenneth Wilmer Fisher (1921 – 2017)
Born in Gary, Indiana July 31, 1921, Kenneth Fisher, 96,
passed away in Goldsboro, North Carolina quietly and
peacefully on September 18, 2017. He was preceded in
death by his beloved wife of 60 years, Marjorie LeBoeuf
Fisher.
Ken was a Purdue University graduate with a B.S.
in Chemical Engineering. He had a long career with
the 3M company in St. Paul, Minnesota from which he
retired as Production and Quality Control Manager
of their Chemolite plant. In Minnesota his gardening
interests had been hybridizing small size gladiolus, and
he served in all the offices of the Minnesota Gladiolus
Society. He also became president of the Minnesota
State Horticultural Society. Prior to retirement in 1979,
the Fishers made the decision to retire to Bella Vista,
Arkansas with its rocky soil where gladiolus probably
would not thrive. Zula Hanson persuaded him to switch
to miniature tall bearded (MTB) irises which will grow
anywhere with a few kind words.
Nothing compared to the time and effort and kind
words he gave to his MTB irises. As reported in the 50th
Anniversary History Edition of The Medianite, page 65, he
had developed friendships with fellow Minnesotans Zula
Hanson and Carol Lankow who fostered his interest in
medians. His first introductions were made via Lankow’s
listing and later through Terry Aitken’s Salmon Creek
Garden until his (Fisher’s) death, which followed a late
move to North Carolina to be closer to family.
Ken’s greatest successes were with diploid MTBs
but he also produced tetraploids and some interploidy
between the two. One example is his ‘Sailor’s Dream’
(2004) which won the Franklin Cook Cup as the best outof
region iris at the AIS Convention in Portland. Through
2016 Fisher introduced 63 MTB irises.
The top MTB award is the Williamson-White Medal,
which was won by: ‘Frosted Velvet’ (1995, which also
won the Walther Cup with its HM in 1991); ‘Zula’ (1997);
‘Striped Pants’ (1998); ‘Pardner’ (2000); ‘Merit’ (2004);
and ‘Sailor’s Dream’ (2010). Award of Merit winners
included ‘Carol Lee’ (1993); ‘Little Paul’ (1989 W-W Award
- AM equivalent); ‘Ozark Dream’ (1996); ‘Ozark Evening’
(1995); ‘Ozark Jewel’ (1996); Ozark Sky’ (1995); ‘Steffie’
(1999); ‘That’s Red’ (2006); and ‘Yellow Flirt’ (2004). His
latest Honorable Mention awards (out of many) were in
2017 for ‘Chocolate Fountain’ and ‘At Last My Blue’.
Ken Fisher was awarded the AIS Hybridizer’s Medal in
2003 and the Bennett C. Jones Award for Outstanding
Median Hybridizing in 2013.
Ken is survived by two children: John Kenneth Fisher
and wife, Marlene; and Carol Hardison and husband,
Clifton; one granddaughter and a great-grandson.
Nancy Elizabeth Dow Pocklington (1934 – 2017)
Nancy Pocklington, 83, of Region 9, Carlinville, IL,
passed away September 10, 2017, at Pleasant Hill Village
in Girard. She was born September 3, 1934 in Carlinville.
After graduating from Blackburn College in Illinois,
she began her teaching career and retired from the
Carlinville School District after 27 years of service.
She was preceded in death by her first husband
William Paul Dow in 1962; her sisters Marilyn Johnston,
Lucille Pocklington and Virginia Pressler Leach; and her
second husband Irvin Pocklington in 2014.
In 1983 she married Irvin Pocklington, and together
they became very active in the American Iris Society and
helped found the Sangamon Valley Iris Society. Nancy
served on the AIS board of directors from 1999-2004.
She and Irv managed the AIS Storefront from 1998-2001.
Nancy and Irv were voted the AIS Distinguished Service
Medal in November 2005.
Nancy is survived by daughter Virginia (Michael)
Self of Springfield; son Paul (Diane) Dow of Sherman;
step daughters, Susan Shedis of Brookfield, IL, Martha
(Arthur) Muirhead of Clifton, VA, Judith Coles of Kansas
City, MO; step son William (Robin) Pocklington of Girard;
and several grandchildren.
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IN MEMORIAM
Betty Jean Bowlin
Wichita, KS
Karen K Schultz
Bellingham, WA
Mary Thurman
West Chester, OH
Patricia L Bass
Hutchinson, KS
Charles W Moser
Watervliet, MI
Catherine R Averitt
Fort Mill, SC
10 AIS Bulletin Winter 2018