ï~~2009
THE MICHIGAN BOTANIST
95
2009 THE MICHIGAN BOTANIST 95
Woody, with his administrative abilities, was voted president and immediately
began getting the club functioning again. While President of MBC, Woody
began his big tree work with Paul Thompson in 1992. He became Michigan's Big
Tree Coordinator in 1994 and continued traveling the state, measuring trees and
giving big tree talks to many groups. Woody received the Distinguished Service
Award of the Michigan Botanical Club in 1998 and the Forestry and Parks Association Award for Meritorious Service with Michigan's Big Trees in 2002. He
served for a number of years as Chairman of the Board of the Hanes Trust Foundation of Kalamazoo, established "to facilitate the study of Michigan plants."
The fund makes about 10-20 grants per year for this purpose.
Woody enjoyed gardening in the summer and chopping wood for his fireplace
in the winter. In the winter months, he and his "bride" Nancy, of 52 years, enjoyed each evening a pre-prandial libation in front of a roaring fire. He loved
traveling, and he and Nancy enjoyed 19 cruises to many parts of the world.
Woody leaves his beloved wife, Nancy Decker Ehrle; three sons: Erik (Jeandeceased) of Cincinnati, OH, Ben (Susan) of Valparaiso, IN and Royce (Lisa) of
Aurora, CO. He also leaves a grandson, Aaron; and four granddaughters: Jessamine, Emily Rachel, Emily Josephine, and Celia. He was preceded in death by
his parents and a brother, Donald.
Woody's legacy will continue to benefit students of botany in Michigan. The
Michigan Botanical Foundation (MBF) was set up as a 501c3 organization under
Woody's guidance in the mid-1990's to fund small grants toward a better understanding of plants. In accordance with Woody's wishes, a sizable bequest from
his estate has been given to the MBF to further its work promoting botany in
Michigan. Additional memorial contributions may be made in his memory to the
Michigan Botanical Foundation, c/o Patrick Fields, Chair, 5349 North Canal
Road; Dimondale, MI 48821-8712 or to Robert Sabine, Treasurer, P.O. Box 332,
Grand Haven, MI 49417.
(NDE:
[email protected]; DWW:
[email protected])
