Hybridizer Joseph A. Gatty -- (1923-1992)

Stockton, California, USA

Joseph Alfred Gatty

Joe Gatty died January 29, 1992, following several years of declining health; he was 68. His first California-bloomed seedlings, from seed sent from New Jersey, were the "A" series. His final crosses, made in 1991 and now germinating, appropriately are the "Z" crosses. The honors his irises have earned are legion. 'Friendship' won the President's Cup at the 1960 convention; 'White Lightning' won the Franklin Cook Cup at the 1975 convention. His originations have so far won 80 Honorable Mentions. Awards of Merit have gone to the tall beardeds 'Liz', 'White Lightning' , 'Flair', 'Playgirl', 'Paradise', 'Jean Hoffmeister', 'Precious Moments' and 'Syncopation'. Standard dwarf Awards of Merit have gone to 'Omen', 'Beau', 'Wink', 'Joyful' and 'Starry Eyed', the latter also taking the Cook-Douglas Medal. Intermediates 'Virtue', 'Frosted Crystal', 'Butter Cookie', 'Bold Print', 'Vamp', 'Voila' and 'Rare Editiion' won Awards of Merit, with 'Vamp', 'Voila' and 'Rare Edition' going on to win the Sass Medal. Joe was awarded the American Iris Society Hybridizer's Award in 1980.

In the years since first joining AIS in 1951, he served the iris world in many capacities. He was president of the Iris Society of New Jersey, RVP for Region 19, treasurer and editor for the Median Iris Society, president of the Northeast Median Iris Society, regional bulletin editor for Region 14, assistant editor for the AIS Bulletin for five years, and registrar for the 1986 San Jose convention. [A.I.S. Bulletin #285(April 1992), p.49.]

Registrations/Introductions:

Border Bearded: 'Donna D', 'Shirley Spurr', 'Shrimp Boat', 'Spring Twilight,

Intermediate Bearded: 'Bistro', 'Bold Print, 'Broadway Baby', 'Butter Cookie', 'Dancing Clouds', 'Early Frost', 'Firebug', 'Frosted Crystal', 'In Limbo', 'Lacy', 'Liebling', 'Memo', 'Rare Edition', 'Scout's Honor', 'Season Ticket', 'Short Distance', 'Subtlety', 'Tchin-Tchin', 'Vamp', 'Verse', 'Virtue', 'Visa', 'Voila', 'Voodoo Doll',

Miniature Dwarf Bearded: 'Bubala'.

Pacific Coast Native: 'Joey'.

Standard Dwarf Bearded: 'Babe', 'Baja', 'Beau', 'Brash', 'Dainty Delight', 'Dainty Flair', 'Dainty Royal', 'Dark Rings', 'Hello', 'Hi Sailor', 'Hooray', 'Joyful', 'Kharam', 'Motto', 'Muchacha', 'Omen', 'Pal Sam', 'Peso', 'Quote', 'Rebus', 'Small Change', 'Starry Eyed', 'Toy Clown', 'Toy Parade', 'Wink'.

Tall Bearded: 'All Together', 'Arctic Express', 'Bold Gold', 'Bonbon', 'Chanteuse', 'Christmas', 'Clear Day', 'Coming Up Roses', 'Danger', 'Delicate Balance', 'Designing Woman', 'Dream Affair', 'Eden', 'Fashion Statement', 'Femme Fatale', 'Finalist', 'Fine China', 'First Impression', 'Flair', 'Flattery', 'Flirt', 'Floral Chiffon', 'Flower Show', 'French Pastry', 'Friendship', 'Frosting', 'Gothic Tale', 'Haute Couture', 'Heatheridge', 'Heavenly Angels', 'High Drama', 'Hollywood Blonde', 'In Reverse', 'Iris Irene', 'Jean Hoffmeister', 'Joyous Melody', 'Kuniko', 'Lady X', 'Lavish Lace', 'Lemon Punch', 'Liz', 'Lovely Glow', 'Lyrical', 'Mallow Dramatic', 'Mannequin', 'Mary Wais', 'Modern Times', 'Movie Queen', 'Nefertiti', 'Nine Muses', 'Overjoyed', 'Panache, 'Paradise', 'Perfect Pitch', 'Pink Jade', 'Playgirl', 'Pleasire Faire', 'Precious Moments', 'Presence', 'Pretty Lady', 'Princess', 'Quiet Moment', 'Rare Occasion', 'Regal Gent', 'Risque', 'Royal Elegance', 'Saint Jude', 'Satin Gown', 'Satin Siren', 'Scotch Blend', 'Shining Light', 'Show Biz', 'Simpatico', 'Simple Pleasures', 'Simply Pretty', 'Smart Aleck', 'Soft Caress', 'Sunny and Warm', 'Swirling Seas', 'Symmetry', 'Syncopation', 'Velvet Flame', 'Venus Rising', 'White Lightning', 'Wide Horizon'.

See also: "irisenligne : Gatty" (biography in french language by Sylvain RUAUD); 2003-01-16)

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