IN LOVING MEMORY OF

Henry

Henry Donselman Profile Photo

Donselman

August 11, 1948 – January 29, 2012

Obituary

DONSELMAN, HENRY 1948 TO 2012 Dr. Henry Martin Donselman was born on August 11, 1948 in the small town of Milan, Indiana to Martin Herman and Norma Amelia (nee Luke) Donselman. He passed away on January 29, 2012 in Murrieta, California. He grew up in Aurora, Indian, where his father operated a mill. He has an older sister, Dorothy Elizabeth Stinger, and had an older brother, Edward Herman Donselman. Henry graduated from Vincennes University, Indiana State University and Purdue University, where he received a doctorate in ornamental horticulture , inspired by his grandfather, a botanist. He married Barbara Jane Longfellow in 1972. In 1976, he accepted a position as professor at the University of Florida. While there, Henry helped introduce many new species of plants, including now the popular Heliconia. In 1988, Henry accepted a position as vice president of Rancho Soledad Nurseries in Rancho Sante Fe and moved his family to Poway, California. In 1993, Henry began his own palm tree consulting business, which he ran up to his death, except for three years he spent in The Scotts Company. Henry served on the Board of Quail Botanical Gardens and was active in the International Palm Society. He was a world-class horticulturalist, listed in the Who's Who in Science and Engineering. He also received Interiorscape's grand prize for best project for 1988 for his work on the World Finance Center in New York and a merit award from the American Society of Landscape Architects in 1995 for his work on Palm Drive at Stanford University. Perhaps Henry's favorite project was working on Petco Park, home of his beloved San Diego Padres. Despite his many accomplishments, God and family were always Henry's fist priorities, as shown by his involvement in church and his children's sports. A devoted father and husband, Henry is survived by three children, David, Kerensa, and Travis, in addition to the love of his life, Barbara 'Jane'. Services will be held Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 11:00 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Temecula with a public viewing from 9:00 to 11:00. Interment will follow at Mission San Luis Rey, where Henry will be buried between two beautiful palm trees. Donations can be made to the International Palm Society or Trinity Lutheran Church.
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