William Gene Yearty of J F Yearty & Sons, Jacksonville, passed away on Saturday, April 12. Gene was considered by many one of the pest control industry's strongest and clearest voices for reason and common sense, according to Phil Busey of Turfgrass Management. Gene was born in Deland, Florida to a family of Pest Control Operators. When Gene was a boy, the family relocated to Jacksonville. Gene attended Robert E. Lee High School and enlisted in the navy when he was seventeen. He married Pauline Woods-Smith on October 31, 1959. Gene served his country in the navy for fourteen years, including two tours of duty in Vietnam. Gene left the service in 1970 and joined his father and brothers at J.F. Yearty and Sons Pest Control. Gene branched out on his own and specialized in general household pest control, concentrating on apartment complexes, and working on specialty projects such as fire ants in pine straw and pest control in the shipping industry. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. Gene emerged as an industry leader and advocate after the first few fertilizer ordinance meetings with the St. John?EUR??,,????'??s County Commission. Gene was outspoken in defense of the greens industry and he had a grasp of the Florida Statutes that was unparalleled. Through research and determination, Gene made valuable contacts at the state DEP. As local battles heated up throughout the state, Gene took a concept to Mike Thomas at DEP in Tallahassee. He enlisted Mike?EUR??,,????'??s help in organizing the first best management practices meeting for the greens industry in Orlando. Gene was instrumental in bringing IFAS at the University of Florida on board so the lawn care industry would have research based guidelines to follow. He was a force behind a lawsuit against St. John?EUR??,,????'??s County that stopped them from passing a fertilizer ordinance until the BMP?EUR??,,????'??s were developed. Gene also became involved with Mike Thomas and others in Tallahassee in developing the model landscape ordinance for Florida so there would be continuity within counties and a solid foundation to work from. The lawsuit with St. John?EUR??,,????'??s County was settled through negotiation and an equitable ordinance was written that satisfied all parties. Gene had a unique ability to work inside and outside of state and national associations to gain a consensus of support for positions of concern to the pest control and greens industries. Gene?EUR??,,????'??s talent of understanding all sides of an issue, defending and advancing his position, engaging everyone in a room in open discussion and understanding, and having all involved leave as winners will be missed by all of us who worked with him. His knowledge was encyclopedic and hours spent with him in a car on the way to meetings flew by like minutes and horizons seemed unlimited. Gene made an invaluable contribution to everyone in the state of Florida, not just the industry. Herman Gene Yearty was a man of whom you could truly say; " He was described by Nick Dennis as the spark plug behind best management practices (BMPs), such as the "Florida Green Industries' Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources in Florida." Gene will be missed by many who loved him, concluded Busey.