SHELDON H. BUTT MEMORIAL AWARD

For Most MEDIAN Blue Ribbons

By Jim Morris

Sheldon H. Butt (1919 - 1994) was a member of the Greater St. Louis Iris Society and didn't live in Region 18. A resident of Godfrey, Illinois in Region 9, he was nonetheless an active and influential member of our local club. This award was established in his memory in 1994. The annual award is made to the individual(s) who wins the most median iris blue ribbons at our combined shows. It is a walnut plaque.

Sheldon was many things to many people. Born in New York and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, he received his BS and MS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Louisville. During WWII he was an officer in the Navy assigned to Oak Ridge, Tennessee where he participated in the Atomic Energy Commission's magnetic ion separation program for nuclear enrichment. Following the war he returned to Olin-Mathieson where he held several positions including Director of New Product Development and Director of Solar Marketing. To the layman his most "understandable" patent (he was awarded 47!) was the one he held through Olin Brass for the silver-on-brass bonding process which is used on all U. S. dimes and quarters. Sheldon was President of the Solar Energy Industries Association and an Energy Consultant for the Illinois Energy Resources Commission.

Sheldon was involved in medals in AIS also. Never shut out in an iris show, he was the winner of 73 silver medals! He is believed to hold the American Iris Society record for these silver medals for horticultural sweepstakes.

He held many positions in the iris world. He was editor of The Medianite, the publication of the Median Iris Society, Inc. from the summer of 1991 until his death in 1994. He also served as a Director of MIS. He was extremely active in our local club serving as Secretary, Treasurer and President during the 1980s and 1990s. He also was Registrar and Treasurer for the 1981 AIS Convention held in St. Louis.

The winners of the Sheldon H. Butt Memorial Award for the most median blue ribbons at our annual combined shows follow. The winner's name is followed by the total median blue ribbons for each year.

1994.....Riley Probst (15)
1995.....Jim Morris (17)
1996.....Lu & Orville Dickhaut (11)
1997.....Jim Morris (28)
1998.....Jim Morris (31)
1999.....Jim Morris (36)
2000.....No Award
2001.....Jim Morris (34)
2002.....Jim Morris (23)
2003.....Jean Morris (11)
2004.....Jim Morris (7)
2005.....Pat Hayden & Jim Morris (tie) (3)
2006.....Jim Morris (21)
2007.....Jim Morris (27)
2008.....Jean & Jim Morris (68)
2009.....Jim Morris (21)
2010.....Jean & Jim Morris (15)
2011.....Jean & Jim Morris (18)
2012.....Jean & Jim Morris (15)

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