Leonora Stiefvater
Leonora passed away this spring at the age of 96. She was a member of AFS and the San Mateo County Branch for over fifty years. She was a leader in various horticultural clubs and hosted events and tours in her garden. The San Mateo County Branch had many picnics in her garden. San Francisco hybridizer, Horace Tiret was a friend and asked her permission to name one of his fuchsias for her. The fuchsia ‘Leonora’ was introduced in 1960, a single pink bell shaped flower that Leo Boullemier called “excellent in every way.” Horace Tiret was awarded the AFS Certificate of Merit for ‘Leonora’ in 1964. The fuchsia can still be found in gardens today, a lovely tribute to a grand lady.