Our History
The Town and Country Garden Club began in the 1954. During those years the club’s activities
were published in the newspaper. Meetings were held in members homes, at the Manor, at
the Biltmore Forest Country Club, the Governor’s Residence and the Biltmore Dairy Bar.
Membership is by invitation. 20-25 active and 15 associate members enjoy the social and
educational programs as well as contribute financially to several non-profit organizations
focusing on sustainability.
Hands on projects included decorating trays with miniature Christmas trees for nursing home
patients, beautification and flower arranging at the Governor’s Western Residence, Quality
Forward planting (1970’s) planting a “theme” tree at the Folk Art Center (1982), attending to
the Veterans Memorial at Pack Place Park and working on a vegetable garden at Emma
Elementary School.
Entering flower arrangement competitions were a favorite. The Men’s Garden Club of Asheville
sponsored a flower show yearly and Town and Country Garden Club won second place for artistic arrangement in 1957. Ribbons were plentiful at Daffodil Show hosted at the Biltmore Dairy Bar by the French Broad River Garden Club in the ‘60’s. Other contests were the Chrysanthemum Show, and the Sears Garden Center Show.
Informative programs have always been a highlight of membership. In 1961 a Mrs. Baxter gave a presentation on historical, medicinal and cooking uses of herbs, encouraging members to start their own herb gardens. For one meeting in 1960 members were asked to bring 3
uncooked white eggs for a Christmas workshop. I wonder what that project was???
A wide range of programs from National and local parks and farms to flower arranging and
holiday decorations to fine art and history to gardening and aging to wildlife and seeds are
enjoyed by Club members.
In 1980, to celebrate the 50th anniversary the Club’s 25 members traveled to Hilton Head and attended the Savannah Garden Tour. Where are we going for our 75th in 2029?
Past Presidents
* Two Terms
1954-55 Mrs. John Cheeseborough (Virginia)
1955-56 Mrs. Robert Ettenger (Helen)
1956-57 Mrs. Peter G. Halloway (Nancy)
1957-58 Mrs. W.F.P. Coxe, Jr. (Anne Fuller)
1958-59 Mrs. George H.V. Cecil (Nancy)
1959-60 Mrs. Richard M. Taylor (Sarah)
1960-61 Mrs. Vernon McCrary (Lois)
1961-62 Mrs. Bernard R. Smith (Dot)
1962-63 Mrs. David C. Bailey (Ruth)
1963-64 Mrs. Edward A. Gibson (Ruthie)
1964-65 Mrs. O.E. Starnes, Jr. (Sarah Jane)
1965-66 Mrs. Murray Miller (Fran)
1966-67 Mrs. W.G. Adams, Jr. (Ann)
1967-68 Mrs. George Chumbley, Jr. (Jane)
1968-69 Mrs. William M. Pomeroy (Connie)
1969-70 Mrs. William Duckworth (Mary)
1970-71 Mrs. R.D. Gregory, Jr. (Nancy)
1971-72 Mrs. Murray Holliday (Mary Jane)
1972-73 Mrs. Lewis Lunsford, Jr. (Charlotte)
1973-74 Mrs. Harry Martin (Nancy)
1974-75 Mrs. W.B. Williamson, III (Lib)
1975-76 Mrs. B.L. Harpe (Libby)
1976-77 Mrs. W.D. Brosnan, III (Ann)
1977-78 Mrs. Francis MacMahon (Mary Lib)
1978-79 Mrs. Robert F. Moore (Helen)
1979-80 Mrs. Walter H. Davis (Mary Locke)
1980-81 Mrs. C. Leroy Robinson (Mildred)
1981-82 Mrs. Peter Holloway (Nancy)*
1982-83 Mrs. Duward Everett, Jr. (Iris)
1983-84 Mrs. Charles G. Lee, III (Ann)
1984-85 Mrs. Robert S. Webb (Jean)
1985-86 Mrs. James Chapman (Reid)
1986-87 Mrs. William T. Pennell (Peggy)
1987-88 Mrs. Robert P. Fletcher (Nancy)
1988-89 Mrs. Leo J. Spencer, Jr. (Irene)*
1989-90 Mrs. O.E. Starnes, Jr. (Lida)
1990-91 Mrs. James Stickney, III (Dotty)
1991-92 Mrs. William Griffin, Jr. (Hilda)
1992-93 Mrs. Jane P. Chumbley*
1993-94 Mrs. William Pomeroy (Connie)*
1994-95 Mrs. Robert F. Moore (Helen)*
1995-96 Mrs. Harry Martin (Nancy)
1996-97 Mrs. John Widman (Roberta)*
1997-98 Mrs. William A. Mynatt (Lee)
1998-99 Mrs. David McCullough (Ann)
1999-00 Mrs. O.E. Starnes, Jr. (Lida)*
2000-01 Mrs. Harvey Haynes (Jean)
2001-02 Mrs. Albert P. Kriek (Gay)
2002-03 Mrs. Raymond Coppedge (Blanche)
2003-04 Mrs. Peter Sprague (Mary Ida)
2004-05 Mrs. Ralph Schwarzkopf (Mary Helen)
2005-06 Mrs. John Widman (Roberta)*
2006-07 Mrs. Robert P. Fletcher (Nancy)*
2007-08 Mrs. William F.P. Coxe, Jr. (Harryette)
2008-09 Mrs. Robert M. Wenige (Lynn)
2009-10 Mrs. Scott Lothop (Barbara)/ Mrs. David Ivey (Thorunn)
2010-11 Mrs. Hugh Stephens (Clare)
2011-12 Mrs. David McCullough (Ann)*
2012-13 Mrs. M. Leffler Warren (Mimi)
2013-14 Mrs. Mary Ann Willingham*
2014-15 Mrs. Revis Eubanks (Linda)
2015-16 Mrs. Walter Allen ( Mary Frances)
2016-17 Mrs. J. Matthew Martin (Catherine)
2017-18 Ms. Katherine Soderquist
2018-19 Mrs. Mary Ann Willingham*
2019-20 Mrs. Ellen Williams
2020-21 Mrs. Ellen Williams*
2021-23 Mrs. Brenda Lilly*
2023-25 Ms. Barbara Kostic*