Effie Boven

Effie Boven

The Founder and Inspiration for Wenke Greenhouses

Effie Boven passed away June 25, 2008. She was my grandmother and so much more. She was the founder and the inspiration for the retail portion of Wenke Greenhouses. She had not worked at the store for the past several years but there are still plenty of people who remember her. Even this past spring, I was frequently asked about how Effie and her dog were doing. (Anyone who knew her also knew of her dog because it was always right behind her.)

Effie lived across the street from the retail store. She worked in the celery fields and then the greenhouses for over 80 years. She first started selling flowers on that corner when I was still a young girl living in the house where the retail store is today. Eventually, the house was moved and the retail store / greenhouse was built there in its place. Effie was a constant. She was there everyday and always made everyone feel welcomed.

She started the tradition, over 30 years ago, of giving every child a free flower. She loved to watch the kids as they picked out just the right color. Today, many adults come into the store and tell me about how they remember getting a free flower as a child. We continue this tradition today.

She enjoyed the flowers and she loved her work, but her most favorite part, without a doubt, was talking with all the people who came into the store. I had the privilege these past several days to hear all kinds of stories about my grandmother that I had forgotten or had never known. She was a very generous woman who touched a lot of people's lives in a positive way.

We will miss you Effie Boven.