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Winston Gaskin was President of the Syracuse Rose Society from 1986 to 1987 during our 75th anniversary year. The honor was
fitting, as he was a prime SRS mover and shaker for more than 25 years. In our club, that means moving loads of fertilizers,
soil, and roses around at the Mills Garden and shaking out those weeds!.
On a personal level, Win was always quick to help others maintain their gardens during periods of illness. His good works
extended well beyond the rose world to his church and community. Blocks of revitalized homes on E. Genesee St. in Syracuse
now sparkle due to his inspired neighborhood project begun more than a decade ago.
But he did lots more: planned bus trips to see other gardens in Pennsylvania, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and to the NYS District
Convention in Toronto. He was SRS Chairman of Judges for more than ten years and Chairman of Consulting Rosarians for many
years, too. He was so involved in rose affairs that he collected both the ARS Bronze Medal and the ARS Silver Medal for his
diligence and service to both the Syracuse Rose Society and the NYS District.
The primary purpose of our rose society is public education, and it’s here that Win really made his mark. He taught
about roses and rose culture at the garden, at our meetings, at other garden clubs, at local nurseries, and at rose shows,
spreading his enthusiasm for roses wherever he went. As with any good teacher, he taught best by example.
It was our club’s great sadness to bid farewell to Win and his wife, Vera, three years ago when they moved to be near
family in Virginia. Now we extend our condolences to Vera, their children Deena and Win, Jr., and their grandchildren.
Let’s hope we can carry forward the lessons of this major role model, mover, and shaker as we carry the SRS into its
second century. Win has left a lasting rosy legacy in our community and in our hearts..
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