Eldon F. Studebaker

News Death Notice

STUDEBAKER, Eldon F. a nurseryman of 94 years of age, died in his home in New Carlisle, OH, on September 27, 2010. He was born in this same house on July 13, 1916, son of Guy E. and Ella (Funderburg) Studebaker. He graduated from New Carlisle High School, attended Manchester College in Indiana and Ohio State University, receiving a BS degree in agriculture. There he was a member of Alpha Zeta Fraternity and was elected to Gamma Sigma Delta, the national honor society of agriculture college graduates. Upon graduation he taught vocational agriculture at Dixon Township High School in Preble County, OH for two years. He married Ruth Workman, a commercial artist of Fredericktown, OH on June 4, 1938, "the happiest day of his life" and together they moved to Findley, OH, where he was employed by the US Department of Agriculture in a study of Hancock County agricultural land use. Later he became an Ohio State University assistant county extension agent for Lucas County, living in Toledo. There he pursued a post graduate degree in business management at the University of Toledo. In 1942 he became a full county extension agent in Paulding County, OH. Joining the US Navy war effort in 1944, he attended US Naval Officers Candidate School at Princeton University and served as an Armed Guard Commander aboard the Liberty Ship SS Harold T. Andrews, in the SW Pacific Theater. He traveled to Australia, the Philippines, Okinawa, Shanghai and Tsingtao, China until he separated from the Navy as a Lieutenant JG in March 1946. Following WW II, he returned with his family to New Carlisle, where he joined with his brother, Gerald Studebaker, in general farming, specializing in growing and marketing irrigated potatoes. At that time, he was a member of the board of the Ohio Vegetable and Potato Association and a member of the board and president of the Ohio Potato Marketing Association in Columbus, OH. In 1956, he founded Studebaker Nurseries, growers of wholesale nursery stock, ceased growing potatoes in 1973 and with his partner-brother began expanding the nursery greatly. He was an original member of his beloved International Plant Propagators Society for 50 years. His lifelong love of propagation of trees, shrubs and evergreens was what got the nursery started and was his deep passion. His backyard is a testament to the many unique species of trees that he himself initiated and planted; each one with a special story accompanying it. Eldon was an active lifelong member of the New Carlisle Church of the Brethren, serving in many capacities, including Deacon for fifty years. When the Southern Ohio District Church of the Brethren sought to establish an outdoor education center and church camp, he served as chairman of the Building Committee of Camp Woodland Altars in the hills of beautiful southern Ohio in Adams County. Generations of Brethren campers have since enjoyed and expressed their faith in this beautiful outdoor setting. Turning Studebaker Nurseries over to the next generation of family in the early 1980's, his underlying interest in woodworking, carpentry and antiques and history began to take center stage in his later life. His membership in The Woodworker's of Western Ohio, the Dayton Antique Study Club, The Mad River Valley Country Antique Study Club and his rebuilding of a two story, 1841 log house in his backyard, reflected those interests. He and Ruth made multiple trips to public gardens and to find family roots in Great Britain and Europe, with many wonderful memories of traveling together with family and visiting friends. continued....