Arne Thirup, former President of Pajaro Valley Greenhouses, dies (90)

A dedicated family man and a much-admired industry leader who advocated tirelessly for domestic flower growers died peacefully on Feb. 21. Arne M. Thirup, AAF, the former President of Pajaro Valley Greenhouses Inc. in Watsonville, California, was 90 years old.

“Arne was a true pioneer in American cut flower production,” said former Society of American Florists president Red Kennicott, AAF, of Kennicott Brothers Company in Chicago. “Arne’s friendly personality and his willingness to share resulted in his becoming a mentor to many, as he established standards to which others aspired.”

“Dad lived his life for the floral industry and his family,” said his daughter Karen Sambrailo, who remembers watching her father walk through the greenhouse early in the morning and accompanying him at night, armed with a flashlight, to turn on the boiler. “So many of my best childhood memories are of him growing flowers, talking about flowers. It really was his passion.”

Thirup held many leadership positions within the floral industry throughout his life, and he played a key role in the creation of the California Cut Flower Commission. In 2001, he was inducted into SAF’s Floriculture Hall of Fame, the industry’s highest honor.

Read more at safnow.org