Sisters Joyce Taylor and the late Barbara Pass of Stillwater, Oklahoma, are both graduates of OSU. After completing their bachelor’s degrees, Pass continued her education at OSU earning two master’s degrees, and Taylor participated in the ROTC program and earned her master’s degree at Kansas State University, while stationed in Fort Riley, Kansas.

 

Nominated by Justin Quetone Moss and Lou Anella of OSU’s Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, both agreed The Botanic Garden was the most cherished place on campus for the sisters.

 

They wrote: “For many years, they served as volunteers and eventually became ambassadors of the garden. They worked together at the garden every Tuesday and spent countless hours as volunteers.”

 

Before Pass’s death, she organized the Barbara K. Pass Endowment for The Botanic Garden through her estate, which was the first endowment to support the program. In addition, the sisters honored their parents and recognized their father’s career and background in agronomy by establishing the Hartwill and Martha Pass Endowed Research Fund to support faculty and students in their research endeavors.