Wanda Langston Mahan and John Frederic Lemon

JOHN FREDERIC LEMON, son of FLORA ALICE HILL and FREDERIC HAMLIN LEMON, was born October 12, 1903 in Richmond, Wayne, Indiana,^{122, 1675} and died May 21, 1963.

He married WANDA LANGSTON MAHAN on April 24, 1929 in Wayne County, Indiana.¹⁶⁷⁵ She was born August 20, 1905 in Prairie Grove, Washington, Arkansas,¹⁶⁷⁵ and died October 2, 1993.⁴⁵³²

Palladium-Item and Sun-Telegram, September 19, 1971⁵⁹⁹⁴

Floral Talent of Former Local Woman Makes Impresson On Kennett Square, Pa.

Mrs. John F. Lemon, former Richmond resident, who has resided fro several years in Kennett Aquae, Pa., was the subject of a feature article written by a staff witer of the Kennett News & Advertiser which appeared in a recent issue of that newspaper.

Friends of Mrs. Lemon here will recall her work in connection with the Lemon's Flower Shop, owned and oerated by her father-in-law, Fred Lemon, for many years. She also will be remembered for the various flower arrangements she made for special meetings of clubs and organizations.

Her husband, the late John F. Lemon, was associated with the rose industry most of his life. For many years he was with the Joseph H. Hill company here, leaving to assume the vice presidency of the Conard-Pyle Co.

The article from the Kennett Square newspaper follows:

The prettiest telephone pole in town stands at the corner of North Washingtn and Linden Streets. Festooned with bright blue morning glories, the branchless tree snnounces that her lives Mrs. John F. Lemon, arranger of roses and beautifier of utilitarian objects.

For the record, morning glories are devoid of thorns, branches and other impediments that might be frowned upon by the telephone company, but offer a delightful Jack and the beanstalk atmosphere for climbing repairman.

The morning glories a re a whimsical detour in Wanda Lemon's travels down the rose garden path. For nearly all of her married life Mrs. Lemon has arranged roses: for special displays and for her own enjoyment at home.

It all started back in Richmond, Ind., when as a young bride she found herself the newest member of a family that had several generations of flower loving behind them. The late John Lemon's father owned a florist shop, keeping the entire family predictably involved during the rush of the various holiday seasons.

Mrs. Lemon discovered that the only way she could see her husband and the family during these busy times was to join in and help.Soon she was creating flower arrangements on her own, finding the roses, especially pink ones, most to her liking.

The roses proved to be a very appropriate field of concentration as the Lemons migrated 16 years ago to Kennett Square; John Lemon to become a vice president of Conard-Pyle, Wanda Lemon to embark upon years of being an exert on the artistic arranging of roses.

Within a few years Wanda Lemon's talanes were in great demand wherever pretty, "comfortable" floral arrangements were needed. She emphasizes that the natural beauty of flowers can be easily spoiled and detracted from by gimmicky arrangements. They are ever so much better in company with natural greenery, in simple but effective containers.

One of her favorities is an arrangement she did for a color cover of Today, the magazine section of the Sunday Inquirer, in 1960. It was the first of many times her work was to appear in magazines, newspapers, on calendars and in other publications, but this one was special. The roses were arranged in a silver trophy that had been won years before by E. G. Hill, John Lemon's grandfather and a famous rosarian.

Of course, it took very little time for Star Roses to gather Mrs. Lemon in as their own special arranger. Each September for a number of years she has done the presentation baskets for the introduction of new varieties of roses to rose growers on Red Rose Rent Day.

Her favorite project came two years ago when a new rose was named for Mrs. Sidney Hutton. A carefully planned, very old-fashioned basket was filled with "Laura" roses and nosegays that contained special little notes fromMrs. Hutton's family and friends.The respect and fondness that the community felt for Mrs. Hutton was captured in the beautiful baske of roses.

Another banner year saw the introduction of the rose "Indiana" complete with a trowel and bucket of soil from John Lemon's uncle's farm.

Rose arranging does not fill every day in the year. In between times, Mrs. Lemon lectures on flower arranging to garden clubs, home economic classes and helps her friends with their own flower projects. She admits to no great interest in digging around in the dirt although her home is surrounded by flowers.

Palladium-Item and Sun-Telegram, May 23, 1963⁶⁰¹³

John F. Lemon

Death of John F. Lemon, a member of an old Richmond family of flower growers, is a distinct loss to the floral industry. A native of Richmond, Mr. Lemon was nationally known in that field.

Last year he was presidenet of All-America Rose Selections (AARS), a national association of commercial rose growers.

He first was identified with the floral business as a young man associated with his father, Fred H. Lemon, who for many years operated Lemon's flower shop and had greenhouses here.

Later John F. Lemon joined the Joseph H. Hill company and became assistant to the president. He left Richmond in 1954 to become vice-president of the Conard-Pyle company of West Grove Pa., a widely-known nursery.

He returned to Richmond as often as he could. It was his birthplace. He had many friends here. And he enjoyed meeting them, exchanging a joke or two, or talking over earlier days. He was of a jovial disposition, loved sports of all kinds and was an ardent golfer.

Not too many were aware of it, but before Mr. Lemon got into the floral business he was a teacher and athletic coach. He was Trojan basketball coach at New Castle high school when Pete Jolley, later to become known as coach of Muncie Central, played for the Trojans.

Mr. Lemon was an asset to his community and to his profession. His untimely death at the age of 59 is regrettable indeed.