Region 18 2006 Distinguished Service Award
O. DAVID (DAVE) NISWONGER

Compiled by Jim Morris with nominations by five Region 18 members and biographical material by Charles Pickett

It is not an exaggeration to say that Dave Niswonger is Mr. Region 18.  Whether it is because of his hybridizing success which is legendary; or his service to the American Iris Society and Region 18; or his generous plant contributions to clubs, societies and anyone who asks; he epitomizes all that is right about our iris world.  He is one of those rare people who makes everyone smile and feel better.

The biographical material written by Charles Pickett, and located under Region 18 Hybridizers elsewhere in the Region 18 website bears repeating in condensed form here.

To quote that country western song Dave was born “the son of a preacher man” at Patton, MO.  As a Methodist minister, his father moved the family all over central and southeast Missouri.  Dave’s interest in growing vegetables and grafting trees began on his grandparent’s farm. 

After formal education and a U.S. Navy stint as a medical technician Dave later became a distinguished Hospital Administrator in Cape Girardeau, MO.  His late wife Marie bore two sons and a daughter who have all helped him at times in the garden. 

His hybridizing has included gladiolas, dahlias, daylilies, daffodils and irises.  His first iris introduction was ‘Sapphire Fuzz’, a tall bearded, in 1967, and he is near 400 total introductions today.  He is known for having won the Dykes Medal twice, first together with an old Sikeston, MO friend Gene Buckles with ‘Brown Lasso’, a border bearded, in 1981 and all alone with ‘Everything Plus’, TB, in 1991.

Dave became a member of the American Iris Society in January 1953, served his local affiliate the SEMO Iris Society in every capacity one could imagine, was Regional Vice President of Region 18 from 1980-82, and served first as Vice President and then as President of AIS from 1996-99.

Dave’s HMs and AMs are almost too numerous to list so we will just repeat the Section Awards/Medals and other major recognitions here.

Dykes Medal
Brown Lasso (Buckles/Niswonger 75, BB)  1981
Everything Plus (84, TB)  1991
Knowlton Medal for Border Bearded
Raspberry Sundae (72)  1978
Brown Lasso (75)  1980
Marmalade Skies (78)  1984
Apricot Frosty (92)  2000
Sass Medal for Intermediate Bearded
Honey Glazed (83)  1989
Prince Of Burgundy (93)  1999

Cook-Douglas Medal for Standard Dwarf Bearded
Little Black Belt (80)  1987
Raspberry Jam (81)  1988
Nies Award/Medal for Spuria
Buttered Chocolate (74)  1980
Cinnamon Stick (83)  1990, Medal 1995
Sultan’s Sash (90)  1999
Missouri Rivers (90)  1998
Chocolate Fudge (88)  1996
Missouri Springs (94)  2001
Sunrise In Missouri (95) 2002
Missouri Sunset (96)  2003
Missouri Rainbows (97)  2004
Missouri Iron Ore (97)  2005
Adriatic Blue (96)  2006

AIS President’s Cup 1971 for ‘Raspberry Ripples’
AIS Hybridizer’s Medal 1985
AIS Distinguished Service Medal  1998
Gold Medal from Men’s Garden Club of America for Horticultural Achievement
Foster Memorial Medal from the British Iris Society for Hybridizing and Promotion of the Iris
First Class Certificate for ‘Brown Lasso’ from Wisley Gardens in England.  This award is gained after 9 years of garden trials.
Gold Medal for ‘Be A Dream’ and ‘Marie My Love’ from the Central Iris Society of Moscow, Russia.