This was the message I sent to the email Robin this AM.
Dear fellow daylilians,
The words "humble" and "kind" were the first adjectives that came to mind when describing Don Herr. Don was one of the Region 3 icons synonymous with Lilyhemmer, our Region 3 Fall meeting. His contribution was so efficient that many took it for granted, as he made his service seem effortless. Don capably handled the Silent Auction at Lilyhemmer year after year, bringing beautifully potted and well grown plants for attendees to bid on. Many of you can picture Don, in the Lilyhemmer meeting room, preparing the silent auction sheets, as we saw him there so many times. Likewise, for many years, Don offered $500 worth of his new/recent introductions as a prize drawing. Quiet, efficient, humble service. Oh, how we will miss him!
For many years ( until recently) Don was active as both an exhibition and garden judge, and consequently, we frequently ran into each other at many regional, National meetings and Daylily shows. We judged on show and master panels together, participated in workshops and clinics , walked tour gardens, joked on tour buses, chatted in chat rooms and at meetings, laughed over shared tour garden meals, and I know many of you share similar memories of Don as part of our tapestry of treasured daylily friends. Yes, daylilies get us here, but the daylily people we meet along the way are the real treasures.
Don made all of us in Region 3 proud when he won the Region 3 Service Award, and later, the Bertrand Farr Silver Medal for excellence in hybridizing, not to mention the numerous cultivar awards his daylilies amassed.
Deepest condolences go to Trish, and their children and grandchildren. Special remembrance goes to Don's DVDS ( Delaware Valley)home club friends. Don will be deeply missed by all of us in Region 3 and many of you in all regions.
Sadly,
Julie Covington
Roanoke, VA/ AHS Region 3
