Dr. Samuel "Sam" Edgar McFadden, Jr.

Dr. Samuel Edgar "Sam" McFadden, Jr., age 91, resident of the Somerville Community, United States World War II Army Air Force Veteran and retired horticulturist, departed this life Sunday morning, February 8, 2015 at the Methodist Hospice Residence in Memphis.

Memorial Services for Dr. McFadden were conducted at 11 A.M. Saturday, March 28th at the Somerville First Presbyterian Church. A Private Interment was in the Sardis Cemetery in Fayette County. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes & Cremation Center - Main Chapel in Somerville.

He was born on June 4, 1923 in Ruston, Louisiana, the son of Samuel Edgar (Sr.) and Lois Valeria McKinstry McFadden. He attended Louisiana Tech for one year, then completed his undergraduate studies at Southwestern at Memphis (now Rhodes College) in 1940, receiving a B.S. in Biology. Dr. McFadden served his country in the Army Air Force during World War II from 1943 to 1946 in the 19th Bomb Group. He served in Sardinia, Corsica, France, Austria, Germany and England before returning to the United States. Following his military service, he entered graduate school at the University of Virginia (UVA) where he completed studies for the PhD degree in 1950 in Biology.

In Virginia, he became very interested in Botany and Horticulture. While at UVA, he held one of the DuPont fellowships in Cytogenetics at the Blandy Experimental Farm, located near Winchester, Virginia. (The farm was administered by Dr. Orland E. White and Dr. Walter S. Flory.) In 1950, he joined the staff of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Stations at their University of Florida location in Gainesville as Assistant Horticulturist. He continued work there in the Department of Horticulture until 1976, with one year (1964 - 1965) on leave to teach Floriculture at the University of Hawaii. While in Hawaii, he was able to introduce Protea species suitable for cut flower use with help from his students and Department of Horticulture administrators. Seed were obtained then later grown to maturity at the Experiment Station on the Island of Maui.

Three new herbaceous perennial Hibiscus selections were released in 1962 by the Horticulture Department of the University of Florida at Gainesville. Dr. McFadden was the breeder of these selections. 'Flare' was the selection which proved most suitable in trade handling for garden use. ‘Flare’ is considered by many to be the best perennial hibiscus in Texas and millions of plants have been sold in the U.S.  Dr. McFadden’s 'Red River' hybrid has also been proven to be suitable for marketing and is long-lived.

Dr. McFadden’s Florida plant breeding work also included attention to Rosa rootstock breeding, stimulated by Dr. Griffith Buck's project at Iowa State University. However, nothing superior to the natural hybrid Rosa x fortuniana for use in Florida was secured. He was employed with the University of Florida for 26 years, retiring in 1976.

At his retirement residence in Somerville, Tennessee, Sam McFadden continued his interest in the possibilities of hybridizing the woody species of Hibiscus to secure new cultivars that are hardy in temperate regions, as well as those that can be obtained from the herbaceous species in this genus. He used H. sinosyriacus (formerly H. paramutabilis from Central China) as a bridge to combine H. rosa-sinensis (Chinese Hibiscus and tropical) and H. syriacus (winter hardy). Althaeas grow quickly and need little attention. They thrive in the heat of summer and require only occasional deep watering to keep them growing and blooming.

In 2004, Dr. McFadden improved on the 'Bluebird' introduction by making a selection from a cross between a blue althea seedling (female) of his and 'Diane' (pollen). This selection produces an abundance of blooms on every cutting and is a very fast growing plant. He named this spectacular Althea 'Blue Angel'.   From this same year's breeding efforts came a companion white althea which he named 'White Angel'. 'White Angel' has the same floriferous habit and rapid plant growth as does 'Blue Angel'. Both of these hybrids are patented and sold worldwide by Greenleaf Wholesale Nursery in Oklahoma.

In retirement, Dr. McFadden also worked with small crape myrtles among the Lagerstroemia cultivars with special interest in resistance to powdery mildew.  One such dwarf tri-species hybrid was named 'McFadden's Pinkie Myrtlette'.

In addition to his parents, Dr. McFadden was preceded in death by his brother, William James.

He is survived by two sisters, Betty Ann Harvey and her husband Collier, Valeria Peters and sister-in-law Jean McFadden. He is also survived by nieces, nephews, cousins and many who became “family” over the years, including his church, his musicians’ groups, various botanical organizations and his Chestnut Hill and Green Frog families.

Throughout his life, Dr. McFadden shared his talents generously. Music and botanical expertise were his gifts to many. He was sustained in his last years by his family and the friendships he developed through his various pursuits. He expressed deep gratitude for those relationships and for those who cared for him.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the Sardis Cemetery Fund, c/o Payson Matthews, P.O.Box 819, Somerville, TN 38068, Somerville First Presbyterian Church, 12940 S. Main Street, Somerville, TN 38068 or to a charity of choice.