Hybridizer John (Jack) Durrance (1912 - 2003)

Denver, Colorado, USA

John "Jack" Durrance, RVP of Region 20, claims that "it must be addicting for this is my second stint as RVP." The first was when he held the office in 1968-1970. He adds that he is "irrevocably hooked on irises," dating from a $5 collection that he purchased and bloomed in the fifties. His iris collection grew and, with it, his enthusiasm for hybridizing them. He credits Dr. Phillip Loomis, Le Moine Bechtold, Eva Faught, Georgia Hinkle, Dave Hall, Orville Fay, Melba Hamblen, Neva Sexton, Bob Schreiner, Ev Long "and many, many others" as his instructors. Among the results were Awards of Merit for AZURE APOGEE and AZURE ECHO, a silver medal from Austria for AZURE ECHO, the Cook-Douglas Medal for [SDB] EASTER HOLIDAY and a collection of certificates. Jack's enthusiasm for the AIS extended to serving on the Board of Directors from 1958 to 1968, when he began his first term as RVP.

Registrations/Introductions:

Arilbred: 'Azure Echo', 'Fall Tucker'; 'Volunteer Fireman'.

Border Bearded: 'Banglorious', 'Canyon De Chelly', 'Mary McKenna', 'Mostest', 'One Little Pinkie', 'Red Rooster', 'Tink'.

Intermediate Bearded: 'Azure Echo',

Miniature Tall Bearded: 'Tan Cheeks'.

Standard Dwarf Bearded: 'Easter Holiday',

Tall Bearded: 'All Reddy', 'Alpine Twilight', 'Amherst Colors', 'Any Sundae', 'Arizona Holiday', 'Azure Accent', 'Azure Apogee, 'Azure Whir', 'Big Mary', 'Black Soul', 'Buenos Aires', 'Buenos Aires Revisited', 'Buttered Biscuit', 'Colorado Skies', 'Colorado Souvenir', Curious Yellow', 'Denver Dawn', 'Dirty Devil Canyon', 'Gorby's Red', 'Grapes Of Wrath', 'Hang Glider', 'Harriet Irving', 'Helen Hunt Jackson', 'Hidden Surprise', 'Hilo Surf', 'I Love Lace', 'I Surrender', 'It Happens', 'Jean Graham', 'Judges' Choice', 'Lavender Sunset', 'Lightning Bug', 'Lois Rainer', 'Long's Peak', 'Lynn Reid', 'Makes Scents', 'Mary Ann Wildebeest', 'Nebula', 'Norma Jean', 'Oretta McCarthy', 'Oretta's Shadow', 'Pastel Blue', 'Pat Loughran', 'Persimmon Parasol', 'Pewter Treasure', 'Pink Bloomer', 'Platform', 'Precocious', 'Right Already', 'Royal Gorge', 'Ruth Porter Waring', 'Samoan Holiday', 'Sniff-Sniff', 'Streetcar Named Desire', 'Victoria Rose', 'Wild Oats', 'Yonder Blue', 'Yukon Twilight'.

References:

-- BobPries - 2012-05-18