CHANDLER, N.C. – Howland F. Atwood passed away July 29, 2010 at the age of 91.
He was born in West Windsor, VT on September 14, 1918, the son of Clarence and Marjorie Atwood.
He went to primary school in Hartland, VT. He graduated from Vermont Academy in Saxon River, VT. He took a two-year program in horticulture at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and received a diploma in 1938. In June 2006, 68 years later, he finally received his Associate of Science degree.
On September 6, 1942 he married his childhood sweetheart, Priscilla M. Murphy. He resided at various times in Vermont, California, Florida, Maine, Connecticut, and retired in Hendersonville, NC.
In Hartland he established one of the first privately owned nurseries in central Vermont. His knowledge about plants earned him a highly respected reputation throughout the state, and he could tell you the technical name of most plants from memory. He worked as a gardener at several large estates in Vermont and also at Huntington Library Cactus Garden and Descanso Gardens in southern California. On two occasions he owned a dairy farm in Hartland. He worked for machine shops in Vermont and California as a tool and die maker, and as the Head of Housekeeping Departments for hospitals in California, Maine, and Connecticut.
As a young teenager he cataloged all of the family cemeteries located in the Hartland town ship. He spent over 70 years doing genealogy research. He wrote magazine articles for Better Homes and Gardens. He was an active member of the Pilgrim John Howland Society. He was active in several historical societies in Vermont, Connecticut, and North Carolina.
Howland is survived by five sons, Gary Atwood of Burien, WA; Ehrick Atwood of Candler, NC; Mark Atwood of Calhoun, GA; Thomas Atwood of Wilder, VT; Dana Attwood of Bullhead City, AZ; one daughter, Allison Horton of Yucaipa, CA; two sisters Priscilla J. Knox of Gainesville, FL; Marjorie Shaw of Lake City, FL; 10 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; and one great great grandchild.
He was predeceased by his wife, Priscilla M. Atwood in 2005; and one brother, Deane F. Atwood in 1999.
Originally published in The Vermont Standard, August 12, 2010.