"Henk" has grown irises since 1941, when he noticed a display of irises in a local department store. Soon afterwards "Henk" and Mary had a family membership in AIS, and were the growers of such notables of the day as CORALIE, DAUNTLESS, HAPPY DAYS, LOS ANGELES and RAMESES. He has been president of the Fort Worth Club and is going into his tenth year as Region treasurer. Guest irises from thirteen out-of-state hybridizers grace their garden, along with many irises they have selected over the years, and "Henk's" seedlings and introductions, which have won fourteen AIS awards. Henk retired from the First National Bank in 1959, after more than 40 years of service, and since that time he and Mary have attended all but two of the AIS conventions.ยน