Dorothy R. Wade (1914-2010)
February 9, 2010 by Bob
Filed under Prairie Moon Happenings
Dot Wade (1914-2010)
Despite her legendary status among Upper Midwest prairie enthusiasts, the strongest impressions upon meeting Dot Wade in person were of humility, personal warmth, easy humor, a keen intellect and compassionate curiosity.
Even as Alzheimer’s disease gradually eclipsed her bright personality in her final years, Dot’s benign countenance and friendly presence were inspirations to those around her when she ventured to potlucks, social gatherings or prairie tours. She lived the past six years with her son, Prairie Moon Nursery co-founder Alan Wade, in the house that he built on Wiscoy Valley Land Co-operative in southeast Minnesota. She traveled with him yearly to his winter home in the Philippines. Alan’s wife Emma was her close companion and caretaker.
Alan and Dot
Global travel extended an itinerant theme that prevailed through Dot’s long life. The youngest of five siblings, she was born Dorothy H. Richman at home in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on September 3, 1914. She was raised in Sharptown, N.J., and migrated annually with her affluent family to their winter home in Florida.
Her passion for botany brought her to the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where her undergraduate research included root studies of several native plant species at the newly-opened university arboretum. She met and fell in love with Doug Wade, then a graduate student of famed ecologist Aldo Leopold.
In a 1995 interview with Morris Wiener, Dot recalled the heady intellectual climate in Madison when she first met Doug:
“I remember that I was taking landscape architecture courses in the horticulture building, and our professor said there was a new, exciting professor that the university had hired and that we should pay attention to him. That impressed me, and then when I met Doug and found that he was Leopold’s graduate student…wow! At that time, the university respected Leopold, but I don’t think that he was widely known. He had not done much writing previously, but at Madison he was writing lots and lots of journal articles. All of the chapters in A Sand County Almanac (1949) had been his journal articles, and it was published the year after his death.”
In the midst of their academic work, Doug and Dot eloped to the Wisconsin Dells, where they married and honeymooned in 1936. Their combined expertise and zeal for restoration made them a dynamic, activist couple. Their shared interests and his career eventually took them to Pennsylvania, Missouri, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Iowa, Saskatchewan and Illinois. They raised a son and daughter during those years.
Wherever they landed, the Wades had a positive impact, creating new programs and opportunities to share their love of the natural world. They were early advocates of protecting and preserving prairie remnants, including the Nachusa grasslands in Illinois. In 1964, after four years in Regina, directing education programs for the Saskatchewan Department of Natural Resources, Doug joined the faculty of Outdoor Teacher Education at the Lorado Taft Field Campus in Oregon, Illinois.
In 1965, Dot and Doug purchased five acres of land overlooking the Rock River north of Oregon. Their landscape, featuring native remnants in both hillside pasture land and woodland acres, was complemented by construction of their beautifully unique house, built with limestone rock. Doug described the house, designed by architect Verne Solberg, as extending “organic” concepts developed by Frank Lloyd Wright, whom Dot had met at a party.
Doug and Dot spent 13 years restoring and propagating native plant species on their land, increasing their numbers to well over 100 from the three dozen or so that they originally identified. In 1970 the Wades opened Windrift Prairie Nursery, one of the first of its kind, to offer native seeds and plants commercially.
In his writings about their nursery endeavors, Doug stressed the need for accurate record-keeping, integrity in genetic tracking and a strong code of ethics. Windrift Prairie Nursery provided inspiration and principles, as well plants and seeds, to the Wades’ son Alan when he opened Prairie Moon Nursery in 1982.
Many whose lives were touched by Dot and Doug Wade remember what a powerhouse couple they were, complementing each other’s talents and style. Dot reflected on this in her interview with Morris Wiener:
“I always felt lucky that we were interested in the same things. What he liked to do, I liked to do, and what I liked to do, he liked to do. He was a better birder, and I might have been a little better at plants. We could go anywhere outdoors, anytime, and have a marvelous adventure together because of our interests. We enjoyed meeting the same kinds of people. Wherever we went, we could always find a nature club or birding group. We liked mountain climbing, we liked canoeing, and wherever we were, our interests seemed to focus together on nature and the outdoors.
“I always enjoyed the classes he taught at Taft Campus, and going with the students on field trips. Doug felt that he needed me on the trail. I could always add a little more to the class with my botany and natural history background. Two people in the same field might have had an ego problem, but it didn’t bother me that he was more outgoing. We worked together, and I was happy to be at the end of the line and follow him around. I think that is why I married him. He promised to take me camping! I think that if I had my own professional career, then there might have been conflicts, but that wasn’t the case. Doug could always depend on me to help out with things that students wanted to know about plants.”
Doug died suddenly a few days after his 78th birthday in 1987. Dot continued living in their home until she moved to Minnesota in 2003. Throughout her long, productive life she made things better wherever she applied her energies and knowledge. Her restoration work lives on in natural settings and human hearts throughout the land.
Dot with 2004 Prairie Moon staff
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Reference: Wiener, Morris, Pathways: The Ontario Journal of Outdoor Education, v7 n6 p 32-35, Oct-Nov 1995
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Donations in Dot’s honor may be made to the following organizations:
Prairie Preservation Society of Ogle County
9024 W Grove Rd
Forreston IL 61030
www.ppsoc.org
Friends of Nachusa Grasslands
8772 S Lowden Rd
Franklin Grove IL 61031
www.nachusagrasslands.org
I bought my first prairie seed from Dot at Driftwood in Oregon. Which helped set me on a course that has, so far, continued for 25 years. God Speed.
Thank you for this background. I am very happy that Dorothy and her husband contributed so much to native plant and animal life. Although I never met her, from reading this, I know that my pursuits with the environment have been indirectly affected by Dot. I will be sure to learn more about her impact and share with others.
Thank you Dot.
My condolences to your family on your personal loss. But what a life to celebrate! My own life is richer for Mrs. Wade’s contributions, and I never even knew her. I’m sure a lot of people out there feel that way.
SIncerely,
Bruch Reed
Chicago, Illinois
We are sorry to hear of Dot’s passing. She was an important part of Wild Ones as well. If you’d like to read another piece written by her friend Fran Lowman, please go to http://www.for-wild.org/download/people/dotwade/dotwade.html Dot was featured as a Wild Ones Shoooting Star in the Wild Ones Journal several years ago.
I only knew Dot in the spirit but I have really appreciated her work and support. There are other gardens for Dot to attend. My great sympathy in her passing and celebration in her memory.
Dot Wade was a lovely presence in the Illinois conservation scene in the 1980s. While I was at The Nature Conservancy, she and her husband, Doug, were highly influential in getting our staff involved at Nachusa Grasslands. She was smart and kind, and had a huge impact–both direct and indirect–on many lives.
My sympathies to her descendants…
Dot had a greater impact on my life than any other person outside my family.
We met in the summer of ’73, on a field science trip where Doug introduced my class to prairie remnants. At that time I was going to Laredo Taft during the day and staying with my mother, who was dying of cancer, at the hospital at night. Years later, Dot confided that it was not chance that brought us together. She had read about my mother’s condition in my journal that I was keeping for Doug’s class, and purposely sought me out. Being introduced to the prairie and to Dot on the same day, I had no idea what either would mean for my future.
I became very interested in prairies, and began working for Dot, weeding in her prairie nursery. There I not only learned to identify the leaves and flowers of plants, but also the characteristics of their seeds and seedlings. I took my excitement for the prairie back to my classroom, and then to the entire school district, where it became part of the science curriculum. I also began to work toward prairie preservation and reconstruction in my private life. Eventually these became part of my landscaping business, PRAIRIE PARTNERS, and remain so to this day.
As I attended many prairie gatherings with Dot, I felt very honored to be part of her life, and of service to her. I also sensed the tremendous influence she had on many people who, like me, loved her as a warm and caring person, and will be forever grateful to her for enriching our lives. She lives on in the thoughts and pursuits of all who were blessed to be part of her life.
Larry Sheaffer
From NW Minnesota: “Prairie Moon Nursery: I thank-you for sending-out the information on Dot Wade. As a prairie biologist, it fills my heart with joy to know such gracious and fascinating individuals layed much of the groundwork for the great interest many people have in our native prairies today.”
Our sincere condolences to Alan and others, with Dot’s passing.
She had a sweet, gentle, humble spirit the few times I met her.
She will surely be missed along with all other prairie-restoration-ist pioneers Grant Cotham, Virginia Kline (some of my favorite UW botany professors who also pioneered restoration work at the UW arboretum).
Our world is more beautiful as a result of their work…Dot’s legacy will remain
in the shimmering ‘faces’ of each sweet prairie flower she’s helped to preserve.
Margit and Bart Hall
Prairie Star Farm
De Soto, Kansas
I remember the “double Daves” (My original business partners and good friends!) and I visited Prairie Moon in 1992. We toured Prairie Moon and I was incredibly impressed with Alan Wades knowledge of all the native plant. I was extremely impressed at how Alan could identify these plants with limited sight! I remember learning about his mother and what an influence she had been in his life and all the great contributions she had made in protecting our natural heritage…wow! It made an impression on me for sure. I did not know her personally, but I have felt her impact, as well as Alan’s, on my life.
24 years ago I began a journey to the northern great plains and with the help of Alan, and Prairie Moon started a native plant nursery in West Central MN 18 years ago! I was born and raised in NJ……I did not know Dot and I had that in common……..neat.
The first time I met Dorothy Wade was about 50 years ago at the Hamerstroms in Plainfield during the prairie chicken census on or about April 20th. Thereafter I met both Doug and Dorothy at numerous Midwest and/or North American Prairie conferences. I’m sure they will be recognized as pioneers in promoting prairies and particularly being one of the first in establishing a prairie nursery. I always enjoyed visiting with them on all occasions.
from Shane in Indiana: I am saddened by your loss of Dot and send my condolences. Until I received your message I did not know of her and the connection to you. I am moved by the wonderful story of her life and greatly appreciate you taking the time to share this with your customers. Her memory
will live on through the plants that she helped in bringing to all of us.
Thank you for sharing her story.
I join you in celebrating the life of Dot Wade. Doug and Dot were very influential during my time at Taft Campus. Though retired at that point, they opened their hearts to a fellow prairie enthusiast and helped me on my life journey. I remember talking aboout plants with Dot – she had such a spark when we were discussing plants and their habitats – she knew so much and was always willing to share. Doug and Dot’s home and restored prairie overlooking the Rock River was an inspiring place. I consider myself lucky to have been able to meet and spend time with them.
My condolences to her family. I met Dot and Doug in 1980 as they were then a driving force for prairie preservation and restoration in the Rock River Valley. Dot always had a way of tempering some of Doug’s fire and was always offering her beautiful smile! Great things come in small packages and Dot was a dynamo. Her spirit will live with me always.
Randy Nyboer
I never met Dot, but Windrift was one of the first publications that inspired me to dream of glorious prairie fields. I hope she’s in one right now with Doug! My deepest condolences to the Prairie Moon family left behind. It’s people like her and not evangelist types that I hope heaven is populated with. Greg
I had the privilege to know Mr. and Mrs. Wade at a very early and impressionable stage in my life. I considered Alan my best buddy as a 5th. and 6th. grade schoolmate and fellow Boy Scout and the Wades were so kind and generous to allow me to join them in some of their camping adventures while they lived in Des Moines, Iowa in 1960 and 1961.
No matter where we traveled, it was typical for Mr. and Mrs. Wade to spot some bird or animal (or plant) whose habitat was near the highway. Mr. Wade would more often than not pull over, get out his binoculars for all of us to study that particular species, and then give us a full education of everything there was to know about that animal’s existence. It was always fascinating to me and I owe the Wade family for my life-long interest in nature and wildlife. For two summers, I was so fortunate to accompany the Wades on their summer vacations to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Canada. In a life that has now expanded to sixty-four years, I am so proud to say that some of my most wonderful and cherished memories are owed to Mr. and Mrs. Wade and Alan.