Tributes

Gurdon Lucius Tarbox, Jr. \tGurdon Lucius Tarbox, Jr., 82, of Pawleys Island, President Emeritus of Brookgreen Gardens, died Wednesday evening, 21 April 2010, at Tidelands Hospice House at Georgetown, South Carolina. A Celebration of his Life will be at All Saints Church, Kings River Road, Pawleys Island, conducted by the Rt. Rev. Terrell L. Glenn, Jr., at 2:00 on Saturday afternoon, 24 April 2010, directed by Goldfinch Funeral Home/Pawleys Island. Private interment will be in the All Saints Cemetery prior to the service. \tMr. Tarbox was born in Plainfield, New Jersey on 25 December 1927, a son of Gurdon Lucius Tarbox and Lillie Hodgson Tarbox. He served in the Army of the United States as an enlisted volunteer in Japan, China and Korea, was a graduate of Michigan State College, received a Masters Degree from Purdue University and the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Public Service from the University of South Carolina in 1993. He was employed as forester in 1954 by Archer Milton Huntington and Anna Hyatt Huntington, founders of Brookgreen Gardens, elected a Trustee and Assistant director in 1958, Director in 1963, President in 1990 and retired in 1994 following 40 years of dedicated service. Mr. Tarbox was a board member of the Bartlett Tree Expert Company of Stamford, CT and Charlotte, NC from 1995 to 2006. \tHe served his profession and community as a member and officer of the American Association of Museums, American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta, Southeastern Museums Conference, South Carolina Federation of Museums, Georgetown County Accommodations Tax Commission, Georgetown County Historical Society, Kaminski House Museum and Litchfield Country Club Property Owners Association. He was also a member of the National Sculpture Society, South Carolina Hall of Fame Board, South Carolina Heritage Trust Commission, Governor's Mansion Commission, Winyah Bay Focus Area Task Force and the Georgetown Hospital System Foundation. \tMr. Tarbox was the recipient of the Garden Club of America's Distinguished Service Award for Conservation in 1995, Award of Merit from the AABGA in 1994, the James Short Award for Service from the SEMC in 1989, the SCFM Professional Service Award in 1995 and Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce Individual Award for Public Service 1993-1994 and The Order of Palmetto, State of South Carolina from Governor David M. Beasley in 1998. \tHe was an active member of All Saints Church, elected to the vestry for several terms and served as Jr. Warden in 1996-97. \t \tSurviving are his wife, Milver Ann Johnson Tarbox and their four children, Paul Edward Tarbox (Anita) of Mechanicsville, VA., the Rev. Janet Ellen Tarbox (Talmadge LeGrand) of Edgefield, SC, Joyce Elaine Tarbox Schumacher (Ernest) of Marietta, GA and Lucia Ann Tarbox Raatma (Andres) of Wesley Chapel, FL , a brother, Robert Hodgson Tarbox (Sara) of Maryville, TN, ten grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Memorial donations may be made to, Brookgreen Gardens, PO Box 3368 Pawleys Island, SC 29585 or All Saints Church, 3560 Kings River Road, Pawleys Island, SC 29585. Please sign a guestbook at www.goldfinchfuneralhome.com

Tributes

Gurdon Lucius Tarbox, Jr.

April 21, 2010