Jan Ragan     Jan Ragan met husband Marv in California and raised their children while he was on active duty in the navy. Together they trekked into the jungles of South America and the Philippines. Always a team, she and Marv opened MAJ Orchids in 1969, Jan ran the booths while Marv judged AOS shows (she is now also an AOS judge). They have retired from the show circuit, but ask Jan any question you might have about what a good orchid should look like. (Jul 08)

Marv Ragan     Marv Ragan is a world recognized taxonomist. His 27-year career in the Navy included trips to South America, Australia and the Philippines providing him with jungle-trekking, orchid-seeking experiences. He and Jan opened MAJ Orchids in 1969 and retired from the show circuit in 2003. Marv is an AOS Judge and besides SAOS, he is a member of the Jacksonville, South Florida and Central Florida Orchid Societies and some Australian and Venezuelan societies. (Jul 08)

Veronica Rickles     Veronica Rickles and husband Dave moved to St. Aug in 2007 after a few years in Georgia and many in Chicago where she was a teacher. She started growing orchids to bring beauty and color into the house. So far, Veronica has about 30 in her collection, the favorites being cattleyas, both classic and mini. When not into orchids, Veronica does scrapbooking and photography. (Feb 09)

Gil Roehrig     Gil Roehrig is from New Hampshire where he worked as a mechanic for UPS. He and wife Ellen moved to Ponte Vedra where he is Senior Mechanic at the Plantation of Ponte Vedra. He and Ellen have about 90 plants that they grow outside under shade screen and in winter, indoors under lights, all set up by Gil. Both Gil and Ellen love SAOS and the people that make us such a great group. (Nov 08)

Dick Roth     Charter member Dick Roth first became interested in orchids in 1960 and now has about 300 plants in his back yard. He and wife Joan retired in St Augustine in 1998, after 27 years as City Attorney for Lighthouse Point. He has been president of the Ft Lauderdale and South Florida Orchid Societies. Dick registered an intergeneric cross between an Epidendrum and a Potinara, the Rothara. When he isn’t watering his vandas, you can find him on the golf course or singing old Rod Stewart songs. (May 08)

Vivienne Rowe     Vivienne Rowe gets the word out on SAOS events and is the reason we have so many new members at our meetings. She and husband Tom traveled the world courtesy of the Air Force, and finally returned to St. Augustine where they’ve made their home since the early 1980's. Her interest in orchids was revitalized when SAOS member and neighbor Jim Taylor brought her to a meeting. They are also part of a dog rescue program. (Sep 08)

Debbie Sandy     Debbie Sandy joined SAOS in 2007. She and husband Bob, also an avid gardener and orchid aficionado, have since created a tropical paradise with a shade house, gazebo and water garden. Debbie went to the World Orchid Conference and the Redlands, where she enjoyed swapping 'orchid cat' stories with Martin and Mary Motes. Debbie currently works as a seamstress for Custom Marine Canvas on W. King St. (May 08)

Barbara Smith     Charter Member Barbara Smith hails from the Bronx, NY but has lived in St. Aug since 1978 (with a short side-trip to Georgia). She is particularly fond of any orchid in the cattleya alliance. Her orchids currently reside out-of-doors under the trees, with trips indoors as the weather dictates though her husband gave her a greenhouse for Christmas! She is a member of the Happy Hookers and the Meals on Wheels recipients. Her youngest grandchild, Li, was adopted from China in September, and is rapidly learning English. (Apr 10)

Jeannette Smith     Jeanette Smith is the Operations Chair coordinating the meeting room set up and refreshments. Without her we might still be standing in the parking lot at the St. Augustine Lighthouse Pier. A Gator fan from Gainesville, she has been a resident of St Augustine for many years. She is in two Garden Club circles, the Floralines Guild for flower arrangers, is a Master Gardener and is on the Civic Beautification Committee for St Augustine Beach. (Apr 08)

Lola Stark     Lola Stark is an SAOS charter member and has been our historian and Secretary since inception of the club. She starting growing orchids in 2003. She has a 10' x 20' greenhouse that winters her present collection of over 250 plants, vandas are her favorite. Lola is a National Garden Club Horticulture Instructor and Accredited Master Judge, Life Member in the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs and National Garden Clubs and is in the FFGC Hall of Fame. A St Aug resident for 25 years, she was a Communications Officer for the Navy at the Pentagon and traveled the world with husband Chuck, also Navy. (Jul 08)

Lorraine Swanson     One of the ‘Coquina Crossing Girls’, Lorraine hails from North Dakota where she and her husband farmed for many years. They began wintering in Florida where she was introduced to orchids. After her husband passed, Lorraine moved to Coquina Crossing. She grows her plants on the sun porch and suspended under tree limbs in the back yard in the summer and in the garage in the cooler months. Lorraine is a woman of many talents, enjoys crafts, sewing, quilting jackets and Scandinavian embroidering called Hardanger. What a full and active life this 82 year young woman is having! (Mar 10)