Courtesy of Dewar Nurseries Facebook page
Key Points
- Alex Dewar, founder of Dewar Nurseries, was remembered for building a lasting legacy in horticulture since 1963.
- Dewar transformed his small family nursery into one of the largest U.S. growers of roses, fruit plants, and seasonal flowers with 500 employees.
- His funeral will be held on October 24 at Lockhart Church, and he is survived by three children: Marvin Dewar, Bill Dewar, and Karen Voit.
Dewar Nurseries announced the death of founder Alex Dewar Oct. 16 on Facebook.
“We are forever grateful for the foundation he built and the legacy that will continue to grow for generations to come,” the post said.
Dewar graduated from the University of Florida with horticulture and chemistry degrees, breeding Aglaonema before starting his own nursery in 1963, according to the post.
“In the 1980s, Alex entrusted the business to his son, Bill Dewar, who continued building upon his father’s vision,” the statement read. “Together, they helped transform a small family nursery into one of the nation’s largest growers of roses, fruit plants, and seasonal flowers. What began as one nursery, ten employees, and a single pickup truck grew into five nurseries, 500 employees, and a fleet of 75 semis. More than six decades later, Alex’s entrepreneurial spirit, dedication to quality, and passion for horticulture remain at the heart of everything we do.”
According to Mary “Libby” Elizabeth Dewar’s obituary from Loomis Family Funeral Home, Libby and Alex were married for over 63 years, from 1954 until Libby’s death in 2017, and Libby accompanied Alex on his U.S. Army tour of duty. The obituary lists three children: Marvin Dewar, Bill Dewar and Karen Voit.
Friends and acquaintances of the Dewar family expressed condolences in the Facebook post’s comments.
“Mr. Dewar was a true friend of high school horticulture programs and for that my students and I are very grateful,” said Chris Wilder, agriculture teacher at Crockett High School in Texas. “My thoughts and prayers go out to the Dewar family.”
Facebook users Mike Arrowsmith and Skip Rountree shared how much they enjoyed working with Dewar.
“He was such a good man of faith,” Rountree said. “I will always cherish my memories of working with him.”
According to his children Marvin Dewar and Karen Voit, the funeral will be held at noon Saturday, Oct. 24, at Lockhart Church, 7601 Edgewater Drive.