“He was always in motion,” Pryor said. “From the time he got up to the time he went to bed he was always doing something.”
Aukeman developed a love of gardening early. His father, Mark Aukeman, founded the Hollandia Nursery and Garden Center in 1915. That business became one of the largest in a city known for its greenhouses.
But Fred wanted to take a separate career path, so he returned to school and began a career as a geologist.
With his wife, Juanita, he traveled around the country, living in Illinois, Maryland and Missouri before he returned to Ohio in 1994.
When his niece, Paulette Thomas, discussed her plans to develop the Hollandia Botanical Gardens in Springfield, he immediately offered to assist.
Crystal Justice, executive director of the Hollandia Botanical Gardens, said Aukeman was not a typical board member. While he enjoyed serving on the board, he was never really happy unless he was able to get his hands dirty. Aukeman built the signs at the entrance to the gardens on his own, and he often helped when a flower box needed to be built or repaired.
“That kind of worker mentality is hard to find and it will be missed,” Justice said.
Juanita, his wife of 65 years, said Fred was patient, but he took each of his projects seriously. Any project he took on had to be finished, and it had to be done right.
Because he always seemed to be juggling several projects, Pryor said her father never seemed to have much free time. But when he did, he read everything from the Wall Street Journal to National Geographic, or information about farming.
Much of his interest focused on science and nature.
Aukeman was quiet, but when he felt strongly about an issue he was not afraid to speak his mind.
“If there was something to be said, he would speak right up,” Juanita said.
Through his work with the botanical gardens, Juanita said he helped make Springfield a better place to live. It fit well with one of his favorite pieces of advice.
“He said you always leave a place better than when you found it,” Juanita said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0355.
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