In Memoriam
Dr. Will Witte
Awarded The William F. Kosar Award - 2019
It is with great sadness that we report that Dr. Will Witte passed away May 24, 2023. Not only was he a driving force in the establishment, expansion, and maintenance of the Elmore Holly Collection, but he was the "Answer Man" at the plant sales for years, helping shoppers with their questions about plant problems.The receiving of friends will be on Saturday, June 3, from 5:00-6:00 at Faith Lutheran Church in Farragut. View his Obituary
Marilyn Kathryn (Boyle) Clark
May 24, 1934 - January 17, 2023
Awarded the Wolf-Fenton Award in 2008
Marilyn Kathryn (Boyle) Clark, 88, of Fishers, IN and formerly of Terre Haute died Tuesday afternoon, January 17, 2023. She was born May 24, 1934 in Indianapolis, IN to Stanley C. Boyle and Marie Daunt Boyle.
Marilyn was very active in the Terre Haute community where she was past-president of the League of Terre Haute, member of the local Kappa Alpha Theta alumni club, Treasurer of ARC for a number of years, Board member of the Martin Luther Homes, a founding member of TREES. Inc. and the second recipient of the TREES Mighty Oak award. In 1994, Marilyn was presented the Terre Award for Community Service by the Greater Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce and Terre Haute Tribune Star.
The love of holly inspired myriad actions and memberships for Marilyn and her husband, Bill. Eventually they proposed, received backing, planned and developed the Clark-Landsbaum Deming Park Holly Arboretum. In September 1992 with the guidance and help of many individuals, organizations, businesses and groups, the first holly was planted in Deming Park.
There are over 425 hollies now planted and the garden earned the title of Official Holly Arboretum by the Holly Society of America, one of only 18 in the United States and 21 in the world.In 1993, Marilyn and Bill were presented the Parks and Recreation, City of Terre Haute, President’s Award in recognition of outstanding community service to the Parks Department. In 1995, the Mayor’s Award for the City of Terre Haute was presented for outstanding service to the citizens of Terre Haute and City’s Parks and Recreation Department for designing and creating the Holly Arboretum.
Marilyn and Bill were active in both the National Holly Society of America and the regional Great Rivers Chapter of HSA societies for many years. Bill and Marilyn received the Joseph C. McDaniel Award for dedicated service to the Great Rivers Chapter in 1998. Marilyn served on the National Board of the Holly Society of America and received the highest award presented by HSA, the Wolf-Fenton Award, in November 2008 for outstanding contributions and dedicated service in the field of holly. The couple established the Friends of the Arboretum in 1997 with a group of interested citizens and friends to promote, guide, develop and oversee the growth and development of the Arboretum. Many hours of hands-on work in the gardens caused them to be dubbed “Official Park Department Employees” recognized with a sweatshirt!
