By
Steve Pastis
Visalia - Ralph Moore, “the father of the miniature rose,” passed away in Visalia Monday night at the age of 102.
In a career that spanned more than 70 years, Moore developed more than 500 miniature rose varieties which were available at his Sequoia Nursery in Visalia, as well as through nurseries all around the world. The Sequoia Nursery, which he founded in 1937, closed last year.
“He was a wonderful person and I had a great amount of respect for his knowledge,” said longtime friend Alan George, a former advisor with the University of California Cooperative Extension. “His accomplishments in the miniature rose field are untouchable by anyone else in the world.”
But Moore didn't get lost in his success.
“I didn't realize that he was that much different from anybody else for quite awhile,” said his daughter, Eleanor Bergthold, who talked about some of the institutions which benefited from her father's roses.
“He donated the rights to his
roses to Texas A&M for research,” she said, adding that he donated
proceeds from his roses to establish a scholarship at Westmont College
in Santa Barbara, and donated the money from his Blue Skies Lilac to the
Boy Scouts of America and to the Christian Camp Conference at Hume Lake.
The agreement with the Texas A&M University Rose Breeding and Genetics
Program ensures Moore's existing rose lines will continue to be available
commercially. The university also has plans to continue Moore's breeding
work.
Moore was also a poet, and a book of his poems was published in 2003.
In May, he gave a reading of one of his poems at a Tulare County Historical
event at Kaweah Oaks Preserve. “Ralph had written a poem about Valley
Oaks,” said George. “It was an inspiration to all of us.”
“While other people were talking, he was writing another poem,” recalled Sue Merrill, a co-chair for the Ralph Moore Rose Garden in Veteran's Memorial Park on West Main Street in Visalia. “He was sharp up until the end.”
Funeral services were still pending at press time. A Celebration of Life service is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 3 at First Presbyterian Church, 215 N. Locust in Visalia.
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