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In November of 2020 our state office received a brief voicemail from a man named Harry Kirk saying he would like a call back. Harry and his wife Marilyn were wanting to create an endowment to support a tuition scholarship for students of Texas native plants in the name of Harry’s beloved uncle Dr. Alfred Richardson. How very exciting!
Dr. Richardson is a 25-year member of the Society, was elected a Fellow in 2020, and has been recognized with the Donovan Stewart Correll Award in 1995 for his book Plants of the Rio Grande Delta and the Carroll Abbott Award in 2002 for his book Wildflowers and Other Plants of Texas Beaches and Islands.
Dr. Richardson graduated high school in 1947. He said that when he was young, people did not think about what they wanted to be, that having a job was what mattered. He went to work in the family sheet metal business but never felt fulfilled. He collected and grew orchids, and as his collection of orchids grew in his greenhouse so did his love of plants. Convinced by friends to pursue higher education, Richardson sold his collection to fund his tuition and enrolled in Texas Southmost College in 1965 at the age of 35. This story was relayed by Harry who admired his uncle for his kindness, intelligence, and love of plants. It was confirmed by Dr. Richardson, who humbly added that he sold the plants because he was leaving Brownsville and the plants needed care. The world changed! Education opened up a whole new life for him.
From there he went to UT Austin in 1967 for graduate studies and completed his doctorate in 1976. He returned home to Brownsville and spent the next 24 years teaching, researching, and writing at his alma mater whose name changed to UT Brownsville and then to UT Rio Grande Valley. Dr. Richardson, affectionately known as Al by friends, established the herbarium at UTRGV. He and his botanical compatriot Ken King provided most of the specimens.
Dr. Billy Turner was Dr. Richardson’s professor at UT. In his book My Academic Children there is a chapter devoted to Dr. Richardson. Turner sold Al his Volkswagen for $1.00 for the six-month long dissertation research trip to South America, but it turned out to be too expensive to ship to South America so it had to be sold back. Al bought a car in Peru and toured Peru, Ecuador and Argentina studying the genus Coldenia, so named for an old-world species. Al’s research showed the species was different enough to warrant a change in genus. Al picked the next oldest botanical name according to nomenclature rules and that was Tiquilia, a corruption of the indigenous people’s name Tiquil-Tiquil simply meaning — flower. The Spanish explorers thought that was the indigenous name for the plant. In the book Plants of Deep South Texas co-authored with Ken King (Texas A&M Press, page 149) you will find further explanation and a photo of Tiquilia canescens, known as Oreja de Perro or Dog’s Ear.
Ken King told me another story, that Al laughed at and enjoyed the memory of when I related it, about when they first met Michael Eason. It was in the dunes of Boca Chica a good 15 years ago. Ken and Al were looking for a parasitic plant in the Broomrape family, Orobanche ludoviciana subs. multiflora. Michael gave them directions to find it and they did—in the exact spot! They were dressed for warm weather but a cold front had moved in. Without Michael’s directions they might have given up for the day — so cold! The photo taken that day is on page 342 of Plants of Deep South Texas. Al is currently concerned for the natural habitats in Boca Chica because of the Space X program. He is beginning to work with the Native Plant Project to engage Space X on behalf of the rare white orchid and sedge species found there.
In early January Harry called me again. He was concerned about his uncle. Al had been diagnosed with Covid and Harry wanted me, as the president of the Society, to tell Al about the endowment. When Al learned about it, he was overwhelmed about the amazing and wonderful thing his nephew was doing. “It’s a pretty big deal” said Al, as it came as a surprise to him and a lift to his spirits. I recently spoke with Al again and he had recovered from the virus thanks to the swift intervention of his family. Dr. Richardson hopes this endowment will help students who are doing well in the study of Texas native plants to further their studies. He is looking forward to talking to the first recipient of the scholarship.
Harry Kirk is a founder and CEO of ACT Pipe & Supply, Inc. which since 1976 has supplied indoor fire sprinkler pipes and underground pipes to water utilities for civil infrastructure construction. Marilyn is a retired RN/CIC. They spend much of their time at their 6,500 acre “Turkey Creek” ranch in Zavala County where they enjoy bird watching and photography, and share images on Facebook groups Texas Wildflowers (especially South Texas species), I Love Texas Nature, and Texas Birds & Butterflies. They want to instill their love of nature in their children and grandchildren and to preserve the ranch habitat and the enjoyment of it for many generations to come.
Dr. Richardson’s kind and generous spirit must be a family trait. His nephew Harry certainly demonstrated that with the thoughtful gesture of establishing an endowment in his uncle’s name. We have just learned of plans to augment the initial $50,000 gift with another $50,000 gift in 2021! This is truly great news. The Native Plant Society of Texas is grateful to Harry and Marilyn for their gifts and is fortunate to be trusted to be good stewards and to wisely choose students who will benefit from their generosity.
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**ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: kimconrow
