by Jeanne Malmgren
Mention Judy Seeley’s name to anyone in the Upstate Chapter and you’ll likely see a big smile, accompanied by words of praise such as tireless and inspirational.
“She’s truly a hero for the Society,” said past president and board member Rick Huffman.
“She always brightens the room when she comes in,” said our current president Pam Barbour.
Chuck Hubbuch has worked alongside Judy for years as fellow volunteers at the Upstate Native Nursery, collecting seeds and raising plants for our semiannual sales. Hubbuch, who now manages the nursery, noted that Judy’s “generosity has enriched many gardens in the Upstate.”
There’s no doubt: Judy Seeley has been a major asset to the growth of our chapter. So it’s with huge gratitude—and a bit of sadness—that we watch her step down from our board after 12 years of faithful service. During that time, Judy wore many different hats: field trip chair, publicity chair, membership chair, plant sale chair and nominating committee. She spent countless happy hours with a trowel in her hand at the Upstate Native Nursery and the Pickens County Museum native plant garden. If something needed doing, Judy stepped up to help.
It all started back in 2010, when Judy moved to South Carolina from Pennsylvania. After a career in services for developmentally disabled adults and residents of nursing homes, plus volunteer efforts in invasive plant removal, she was ready for a new challenge. And she wanted to learn about which plants might thrive in her garden here. So this energetic mother of two joined the South Carolina Native Plant Society—and jumped in immediately with both feet.
“SCNPS is a rewarding organization to support,” she says. “I have learned from so many knowledgeable native plant experts and energetic, dedicated members of the board and the general membership. If we all do a little, no one has to do too much to keep SCNPS viable and making a difference to save our ecosystems from being fragmented and destroyed.”
The good news, as you might guess, is that someone this enthusiastic isn’t about to disappear entirely. Judy will continue serving on the planning committee for the state symposium in October. And if you show up for one of those volunteer workdays at the Pickens County Museum native plant garden, expect to receive your work assignment from Judy. She’ll be there with clipboard in hand, ready to get everyone digging in the dirt.
She also wants to spend more time working in her own garden and pursuing her passion as a professional storyteller. It’s time, she says, “to take life at a slower pace…sigh.”
Thank you so much for everything, Judy! You have been, and will continue to be, a blessing to our chapter.
