» Flower show organizer honored

By Lise Hull
Staff Writer
Friday, July 25, 2008 | No comments posted. Vivid bouquets of exotic and familiar garden flowers decorated the tables and walls of the Port of Bandon’s picnic shelter this weekend. The atmosphere was a mix of pure fragrance with quiet grace.

Amidst it all, a soft-spoken white-haired lady dressed in blue and sporting a colorful corsage welcomed guests. They came not just to admire the floral displays but also to honor Mary Smith for her contribution to the quality of life in Bandon.

For over a decade, Smith, who has lived in Bandon since 1941, organized the community’s flower shows, which were held in The Barn. With the help of friends, her late husband, artists and the schools, Smith’s shows evolved from simple table displays into panoramic exhibits featuring palm trees, ponds, waterfalls and a wishing well, she said. Themed exhibits were highlighted by murals loaned by the schools, papier mache animals and foliage cut — with permission — from local yards.

Smith had little knowledge about flower-growing when she took over the event years ago.

“I didn’t know anything about flowers but wanted to try to continue the show,” she said.

Over the years, Smith’s shows attracted a regular following and, in time, blossomed to more than 1,000 guests. According to Smith, visitors traveled from far and wide just to enjoy the annual event. One year, a visitor told Mary that even though she had been to some of Japan’s finest shows, she had never seen a flower show better than Bandon’s.

With an air of modesty, Smith showed off her scrapbooks, which chronicle the history of the flower shows. They contain visitor names, hometowns and comments as well as photos of each year’s special displays. She also had photographs of her own garden, which showed off her green thumb in a brilliant array of living color.

Smith’s contribution to Bandon’s has involved more than flowers. Gina Dearth, port manager and organizer of the tribute said, “Mary is a nurse at heart and a mother to us all.”

Years ago, Smith worked in her family’s restaurant. About a year after the Bandon’s new hospital opened, the administrator — a regular customer at the restaurant — told Mary they needed people like her to work at the hospital. At his suggestion, she stop by for a look. Smith promptly became a nursing aide and retired after 30 years of service.

Throughout the day Saturday, people flocked to Smith’s side, hugging her with obvious love and admiration.

“It is important to acknowledge people like Mary, for who she was and for what she continues to give to our community,” Dearth said. “I hope I’m like that when I grow up,” Dearth added.

A handwritten greeting card placed next to a colorful display summed up how locals feel about Smith: “Flowers feed the soul. So you have fed many souls throughout your life and touched many hearts.”