Individual Details
Dr. Henry Fleming Decker
(8 Jun 1930 - 17 Jul 2018)
Decker, Henry Fleming d. June 8, 1930
Ostrander, Concord Township, Delaware County, Delaware, Ohio
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Henry Fleming Decker, 88, of Ostrander, died Tuesday, July 17, 2018. He was born June 8, 1930 in Camden, N.J. to Blanche (Fleming) and Henry Decker.
He proudly served his country in the U.S. Army as a Reconnaissance Officer in the 7th Infantry Division in the Korean War. He earned his B.A. degree in English and M.S. degree in Agronomy from Rutgers University, and a Ph.D. in Botany from Yale University. He came to Delaware in 1962 as a Professor of Botany at Ohio Wesleyan University.
Dr. Decker was President of Buckeye Bluegrass Farms, a research group he founded in 1972. He was an expert on grasses and served as a consultant to several lawn care companies including the Scotts Company and Barefoot Grass. He researched South and Central American grasses with the Smithsonian Institute, African grasses for the USDA, and in Antarctica with the Byrd Climate and Polar Research Center. He was a co-discoverer of two genera of grasses from Central America and published many papers and articles. In 1988, he wrote an agronomy textbook with his wife, Dr. Jane M. Decker.
In 1965 and in 1992, Dr. Decker was the Smithsonian representative in Belém, Brazil at meetings on the biology of the Amazon. He represented the National Science Foundation in Amsterdam at joint research discussions between American and Dutch small companies. He received an Award of Excellence from the city of Columbus in 1991 for his development of an innovative growing system using composted wastewater materials in the production of grass sods, bringing visitors from all over the world to his farm in Ostrander. He was awarded several research grants from the National Science Foundation and the USDA. Dr. Decker was awarded over a dozen U.S. patents, largely on innovative plant growing systems.
He is survived by his sister Marian Macgregor of Woodstock, CT, children Susan McLaughlin of Delaware, Emily Decker of Powell, Douglas Decker of Westerville, and Cindy Schu of Seattle, and seven grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Dr. Jane M. Decker, in 1988 and by a son, Daniel M. Decker, in 1972.
A graveside service will be held Saturday, July 28, 2018 at 10 a.m. at Mills (Old Mill Creek) Cemetery, Concord Township, in Ostrander with Rev. Jon Powers officiating. Military honors will be provided by Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1095.
Arrangements are in care of Robinson Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, Dr. Decker requested that memorial gifts be made to the Jane Decker Arboretum at Ohio Wesleyan University. Donations can be sent to c/o University Advancement, Mowry Alumni Center, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware, OH 43015 or made online at www.owu.edu/give.
Ostrander, Concord Township, Delaware County, Delaware, Ohio
∼
Henry Fleming Decker, 88, of Ostrander, died Tuesday, July 17, 2018. He was born June 8, 1930 in Camden, N.J. to Blanche (Fleming) and Henry Decker.
He proudly served his country in the U.S. Army as a Reconnaissance Officer in the 7th Infantry Division in the Korean War. He earned his B.A. degree in English and M.S. degree in Agronomy from Rutgers University, and a Ph.D. in Botany from Yale University. He came to Delaware in 1962 as a Professor of Botany at Ohio Wesleyan University.
Dr. Decker was President of Buckeye Bluegrass Farms, a research group he founded in 1972. He was an expert on grasses and served as a consultant to several lawn care companies including the Scotts Company and Barefoot Grass. He researched South and Central American grasses with the Smithsonian Institute, African grasses for the USDA, and in Antarctica with the Byrd Climate and Polar Research Center. He was a co-discoverer of two genera of grasses from Central America and published many papers and articles. In 1988, he wrote an agronomy textbook with his wife, Dr. Jane M. Decker.
In 1965 and in 1992, Dr. Decker was the Smithsonian representative in Belém, Brazil at meetings on the biology of the Amazon. He represented the National Science Foundation in Amsterdam at joint research discussions between American and Dutch small companies. He received an Award of Excellence from the city of Columbus in 1991 for his development of an innovative growing system using composted wastewater materials in the production of grass sods, bringing visitors from all over the world to his farm in Ostrander. He was awarded several research grants from the National Science Foundation and the USDA. Dr. Decker was awarded over a dozen U.S. patents, largely on innovative plant growing systems.
He is survived by his sister Marian Macgregor of Woodstock, CT, children Susan McLaughlin of Delaware, Emily Decker of Powell, Douglas Decker of Westerville, and Cindy Schu of Seattle, and seven grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Dr. Jane M. Decker, in 1988 and by a son, Daniel M. Decker, in 1972.
A graveside service will be held Saturday, July 28, 2018 at 10 a.m. at Mills (Old Mill Creek) Cemetery, Concord Township, in Ostrander with Rev. Jon Powers officiating. Military honors will be provided by Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1095.
Arrangements are in care of Robinson Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, Dr. Decker requested that memorial gifts be made to the Jane Decker Arboretum at Ohio Wesleyan University. Donations can be sent to c/o University Advancement, Mowry Alumni Center, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware, OH 43015 or made online at www.owu.edu/give.
Events
| Birth | 8 Jun 1930 | Camden, Camden County, New Jersey | |||
| Death | 17 Jul 2018 | Ostrander, Delaware County, Ohio | |||
| Burial | 28 Jul 2018 | Mills Cemetery, Ostrander, Delaware County, Ohio |  |
Families
| Spouse | Dr. Jane McLaughlin (1935 - 1988) |
| Child | Daniel McLaughlin Decker (1971 - 1972) |
| Child | Living |
| Child | Living |
| Child | Living |
| Child | Living |
Endnotes
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