Kay Tiller Memorial

by Michelle d'Hulst, LASN

Kay Tiller
November 11, 1925 - May 2, 1999

With bagpipes reminding us of th Lord’s Amazing Grace, we put to rest our friend, our mentor, our associate, our loved one … Kathleen (Kay) Blanche Tiller. I say “our” because Kay did not belong to any one person or group, but instead she touched the lives of so many that know it or not, will be affected by her influence for years to come. Kay was LASN’s self proclaimed “P.R. Gal” from the first day I met her at the Texas Chapter Annual meeting in 1986 and her memory will live on in this Landscape Architectural profession that she loved and touched so deeply. – George Schmok, Publisher

On May 2, 1999, the profession of Landscape Architecture lost a great advocate and friend with the death of Kay Tiller. As Executive Regional Editor for Landscape Architecture and Specifier News magazine, Tiller utilized her passions for Landscape Architecture, photography, traveling, writing and making friends to write and contribute to numerous articles published over a period of 12 years. George Schmok, publisher of LASN, met Tiller for the first time at a trade show in Texas. Since that first opportunistic meeting, she has been an important part of the LASN editorial staff and a close friend.

Born on November 11, 1925, Tiller was orphaned at birth when her mother died during labor. Her father, an Irish immigrant, died shortly before her birth. She was then taken to Hope Cottage Orphanage, where, at the age of 4 months, she was adopted by Frank and Blanche Tiller of Rosenberg, Texas.

Tiller earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism at the University of Texas in 1946. It was during this time that she met and became engaged to a soldier, Ray Richardson, who was killed during World War II. When Kay died on the evening of May 2 at an Irish-American Society function, she was still wearing the engagement ring her fiance had given her more than 50 years ago.

In 1970, after several jobs at newspapers in Mississippi and Richardson, Tiller returned to Richardson to work for a public relations firm and later became a director. In 1974 she went on to establish her own firm which specialized in representing real estate clients.

 

In this photo snapped by past ASLA President Tom Papandrew, Kay spends a friend filled moment at the ASLA convention, which she attended for more than 20 consecutive years. Featured here, from left to right, are Mary Jane Woerner, Kay Tiller, Willa Papandrew, Roy Dunn, ASLA Presidents Medal Recipient, and Bob Woerner, FASLA.

It was through her public relations work that Tiller first became involved in Landscape Architecture. One of the first clients she represented was the firm of Myrick, Newman, Dahlberg and Partners. H. Rowland Jackson, FASLA shared his first meeting with Tiller and her introduction to Landscape Architecture and her diligent service to the profession.

“I first met Kay in the early 1980’s when she was hired by our Landscape Architectural firm, Myrick, Newman, Dahlberg and Partners to start our public relations program. This was her first introduction to Landscape Architecture, and as an experienced journalist and photographer she quickly realized that most Landscape Architects are graphically oriented and their writing skills are primarily targeted to their design profession and not the general public. She would say, ‘we talk to each other. . . but what about the broader audience, our clients?”

“During this period, Kay was introduced to ASLA and our Texas Chapter and quickly became ‘the profession’s friend.’ With her tireless energy, Irish humor and warm smile, she served ASLA for over 20 years, reminding us that she never missed our annual meeting during that period. She served many years on the Chapter’s Executive Committee and for 15 years, kept the profession informed through the Texas Chapter newsletter. In 1990, we changed our firms name to Newman, Jackson, Bieberstein, Inc. and Kay continued to explore new marketing approaches to publicize our work and the profession as a whole. During this period, she was on the advisory board of Landscape Architecture at the University of Texas at Arlington and was also serving on this year’s National ASLA Long-Range Planning Committee.”

“In May, several weeks before her death, she and I attended UTA’s annual awards and scholarship banquet and as part of this festive occasion, it was announced that Kay was initiating an endowed scholarship program to award Landscape Architectural students who exhibit an interest and talent in excellent writing. Through this generous gesture, Kay will continue to provide us with a better understanding of the value of ‘the written word’ and how important this skill is to our profession.

“Here’s to Kay Tiller! . . . a true journalist, Texan and friend that we’ll miss.”

After her first introduction to the profession of Landscape Architecture, but mostly the people involved in it, she became a strong advocate and she applied her knowledge and love of planting and photography to her newest passion. Her byline graced the pages of LASN with innovative stories that touched on every genre of the profession. Her exuberance made up for what she didn’t know and her contact list spanned from here to the moon. Everywhere she traveled to it was a guarantee that she would come home with fantastic stories and a least half a dozen names to add to her list of contacts.

Through her extensive travels, Tiller realized that one of the best ways to learn about various types of Landscape Architectural design was to travel and see what is done in other parts of the world. Besides, she simply loved to travel especially when a stop off in Ireland could be arranged. The people and culture of Ireland struck a resonating cord with Tiller and she made many trips to visit the land of her father.

Scott Weinberg FASLA, LASN Associate Editor, shared his memories of his first meeting and the last conversation that he had with Tiller.

Before LASN publisher, George Schmok gave Kay her first hug, he snapped this picture at the 1986 Texas ASLA Chapter meeting.

“I first met Kay 10 years ago at an ASLA Annual meeting. At first I wondered what a person who was not a landscape architect wanted with a group like ours. Well, after talking with Kay, I realized that she was an extraordinary person. She had an understanding of our profession that many of us (Landscape Architects) will never have. She looked at our work and understood what we were trying to do as stewards of the land. Since that time I have had numerous opportunities to sit and chat with Kay. The last time we spoke, we talked mainly about travel and how important it is to travel in order to gain an understanding of the earth’s environment. Kay will be missed by so many people and I will be one of those at the top of the list. We have lost a champion of our profession and more importantly a great lady!”

Leslie Kerr, FASLA, established a close bond with Tiller during their many trips through Alaska, Florida and Texas. After several years of traveling together, Kerr explained with a smile, their individual roles during each trip.

“I carried all the cameras-all the cameras-as well as the luggage-all the luggage! Kay planned our route and made the travel arrangements. She collected information for writing her travel articles and I found a place to pack it.”

Kerr contined by sharing her memories of Tiller’s early life and how her love of adventure guided her career choices.

“Diverse life experiences shaped Kay. From a start in newspaper journalism to raising quarterhorses to public relations and writing travel articles in her ‘free’ time, Kay was often a trailblazer and later a mentor. She never stopped growing and seeking out new experiences. She never stopped sharing and giving to others.

“In these last few years she learned greater appreciation of solitude as she found peace in her church and in herself. She began life as an orphan, and was an adopted only child with almost no relatives. She went on to become a friend, a mentor, a valued colleague to all those who packed the church at her funeral. I know she loved being the center of attention that day just as I know she will be there every time I raise a ‘wee dram’ of Irish whiskey in a toast: ‘Here’s to Kay!’”

Through her involvement with the profession of Landscape Architecture, Tiller was a permanent fixture at the annual ASLA meetings. She would walk the aisles and greet old and new friends alike. Her deep, gravely voice announced her coming and a big, Texas-size hug normally followed. As always, she planned on attending the ASLA show in Boston to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the ASLA. She will be greatly missed at this year’s annual show and many of her friends in the ASLA shared their show memories of Tiller.

Bob Woerner, FASLA, of Spokane, Washington shared his memories of their time spent together at the annual shows.

“In the period before I was president and the years since, Mary Jane and I have attended many annual meetings of the ASLA. Each year we have lost many “old friends”. As we look forward to attending the centennial meeting in Boston, we will be lacking the company of one of the oldest and dearest of those friends-Kay Tiller. Kay became an affiliate of ASLA in 1982, but I believe she was actively involved with our professions before that in her public relations and in her photos and written words. We have always looked forward to joining Kay for a drink or a quiet dinner as the occasion arose. Her presence at the Texas celebrations and alumni gatherings was memorable. She toured much of the country with notebook and camera, in addition to her fabulous visit to Ireland. We were pleased to have her stay with us in Spokane on her trip through the Northwest. We will miss her, she was a great gal.”

Roy Dunn, ASLA President’s Medal recipient, wrote about a special memory that he shared with Tiller at the Washington, DC annual show in 1992.

“The Dallas Morning News traveler editor probably summed it up best when she remarked about Kay that “I can never see or read about whooping cranes, Texas wildflowers or Ireland without thinking of Kay Tiller.” The first time I was introduced to Kay at an ASLA Annual Meeting she was describing the Texas Bluebonnets, and her love of photographing them.”

“Kay has long been an active support system of Landscape Architecture, all by herself. Her continual attendance at ASLA Annual Meetings as well as her yeoman work for the Texas Chapter of ASLA is testament to that. I know of very few non-landscape architects that have given so much to this profession, as Kay has.

Cortland and Nadine Paul, pictured with Kay Tiller shared this: "Kay Tiller was a friend to everyone she ever met and even those who had only known her through her writings. We will truly miss her."

“It was rare to get a picture of Kay, because she was generally the one taking the pictures and sending you copies afterward. Tom Papandrew, FASLA snapped the attached photo in 1992 at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. A group of us were celebrating my receipt of the ASLA President’s Medal, and at midnight we broke out and sang “Happy Birthday” to Kay, since the 11th (the next day) was her birthday. We could not have done anything better, had we tried. She never forgot that night, and the fact that we did that for her. I cannot count the number of times she recalled that moment when we would talk. That was the kind of lady she was. While she appreciated the little things we did for her along with our friendship, I hope she knew how much we all loved her and her support of Landscape Architecture and us.

“But the one thing I’ll never forget about Kay is watching her walking toward me and in her gravelly voice asking, “How are ya darling’?” while giving me a big hug. I think Edmund Spencer probably put it best when he wrote . . .

“Her goodly light with smiles she dries away.

But fairest she, when she doth display

The gate with pearls and rubies richly dight;

Through which her words so wise do make their way

To bear the message of her gentle spright.”

Though Kay never knew her biological parents and was adopted at an early age, the Landscape Architecture family readily accepted her into their fold. She established an especially strong bond with Jim Tiller of J.K. Tiller Associates, Inc. Though not related by blood, Jim Tiller and his family decided to adopt her into their family.

Mr. Tiller shared his memories of her quest to establish a connection with her family heritage.

“Kay Tiller was that rare individual that never met a stranger. She was a loving person that always had that “twinkle” in her eye that expressed her eternal sense of humor. She could cheer you up with that “Texas yarn”. We all loved her for that ability!

“There was however an introspective that Kay revealed to me at dinner during the ASLA convention in Portland. She expressed remorse that she had lost contact with the Tiller side of her family and that she was adopted. We discussed at length what she remembered about her father and how much she loved him. She was very inquisitive of my family history and we discussed it in great detail. I later shared this conversation with my mother and brother and decided to take Kay into our family. I wrote to Kay and told her about this decision and she was of course delighted. My wife and I were gathering information about the family to send to Kay when I learned of her death. My family will miss Kay, as will the landscape architectural family. She was a part of us all and most of all a Tiller.”

When W. Michael Leigh, President of Western Section of PA/DE Chapter of ASLA, first attended an ASLA annual meeting, he was studying Architecture and he came to check out the profession. He attributes his switch over to Landscape Architecture directly to his chance meeting with Tiller. He shared his memories of their first meeting and the influence she had on his life.

“I first met Kay Tiller in 1983 at the ASLA National Convention in Indianapolis when I was in my first year of college at Ohio State. At the time I was in architecture and was looking into Landscape Architecture and went to the ASLA convention to check out the profession. I met her my second day there on a bus tour and she was the nicest person I have ever met at a convention. She introduced me to numerous people at the convention and even followed up after the convention to see if I switched into landscape architecture from architecture. I know that part of my decision was from that convention and having the honor to meet Kay Tiller as my first contact with landscape architecture.”

George Schmok, publisher of LASN, and Kay Tiller share a special moment at as ASLA convention. From their first meeting in Texas in 1986, Tiller served as LASN's "P.R. gal".

Kay Tiller will be missed but her legacy and love of the profession will live on through the Kay Tiller Scholarship for Landscape Architecture that she established shortly before her death. In April, the first scholarship was awarded to D.J. Schoneweis, a University of Texas at Arlington student.

Lloyd Reeder, president of GreenLee Lighting, remembered Tiller’s excitement when she told him about the scholarship. Shortly before her death, they met for lunch and Reeder shared his memories of their final meeting.

“My favorite memories of Kay Tiller are all wrapped up in my last one. Just a few short weeks before her passing, Kay was working on an article and came to meet me for lunch. When she arrived at Greenlee’s front door, I could hear her gravely voice all the way back in my office. As I was walking up the aisle to meet her, she said “You better hurry up here and give me a hug.” I gladly complied. At lunch we discussed cameras (my new lens), photographing birds and wildflowers, landscape lighting, writing and landscape architecture. Kay invented networking, loved people and loved her work. Landscape architects were her family. So she almost burst with pride when she told me about the Kay Tiller scholarship. Being honored, before her death, thrilled Kay beyond words. I met Kay at my first ASLA Annual Meeting in Phoenix, in 1984. “See you in Boston” were our last spoken words. True to her word, as always, Kay will be with me at the show in countless memories, the happiness she felt as a result of the scholarship, her love of life, and my long last hug.”