Wednesday, January 12, 2022
The nursery and landscape fraternity has lost one of our masters of the trade. I first met George Schichtel twenty five years ago at a dinner event when I worked as a foreman at Menne Nursery. That evening started a quarter century relationship with George. Our common bond was trees and fishing. My first visit to Schichtel's Nursery was a guided tour by George with my wife and two year old son. My son started fussing and George made a special trip to McDonald's to give him a quick snack. We toured all the beautiful shade tree fields and had a great time. We had just finished building our new home when George called me and said stop by the nursery, I have a house warming present for you. George gave me a Green Mountain Sugar Maple to plant. The tree is a fifty foot specimen now. I visited George in the Schichtel arboretum for tree lessons and identification information. When you were around George you kept your mouth closed and ears open. George forgot more that I will ever know. I met George's wife Mary just one time at his house in Orchard Park. She was a gracious host. George called me many times to visit his Evergreen Folly. I finally took up his offer and took a tour of his unusual and exotic evergreens. I picked up a load of trees last spring and made plants to visit him. My last visit with George was in November. I picked up a large RedCone Spruce, one of George's favorites. George had his old Kubota front loader that he moved evergreen folly with. The root ball was a monster and the tractor was not up to the task. Two flat front tires and the rear wheels off the ground! Good thing my brother and son were along to help. My brother jumped on the back of the tractor while my son and I helped lift the bucker to help lift the tree. We were laughing our butts off but we ended up getting the tree loaded on my trailer while all covered with mud! George looked up at the sky and said "Who are we anyway?" George's dog Molly barked at us the whole time. I had plans to get more trees in the spring and visit again, sadly that will not happen now. George was a dear friend who I had the utmost respect for. Rest in peace my dear friends until we meet again. God Bless the Schichtel family in this time of grief. Kevin Brown, Walnut Creek Property Beautification.
