Monday, January 21, 2008

Green Industry Suffers Loss of Home Nursery's Ernie Tosovsky


Ernest A. Tosovsky, Jr., age 86 of Edwardsville, died January 18, 2008; He was born October 31, 1921, the son of the late Ernest and Mary Meek Tosovsky, Sr. He married Betty Faye Rohrkaste Aug. 29, 1946. She preceded him in death. He then married Virginia Lee Hermann Sept. 1, 1984. She also preceded him in death. He is survived by a son, Timothy (Sherry) Tosovsky) of Edwardsville; 2 daughters: Nancy (Gene) Pech of Plainfield, IN, and Barbara (Fred) Wiman of Olathe, KS; 10 grandchildren, 11 Great Grandchildren; a step-son, Bill Hermann of Edwardsville; 2 stepdaughters: Janice Burklow of New Baden, IL and Cindy (Ed) Hoog of Staunton, IL; 6 step-greatgrandchildren; & a brother Charles (Jean) Tosovsky of Edwardsville. He was preceded in death by a brother Edward Tosovsky and a sister, Dorothy Donner. Mr. Tosovsky was a member of St. Boniface and St. Mary's Catholic Churches in Edwardsville. He was the former President/Chairman of the Board of Home Nursery, Inc. His memberships included the following: Past President of the Illinois State Nurseryman Association, Past President of the American Landscape Nursery Association, Past President of the Madison-Sinclair Nursery Association, Board of Directors of Voluntary Purchasing Group, Member of the Greater St. Louis Nursery and Landscape Assoc., Voluntary Purchasing Group; established an endowment fund for Ernest Tosovsky with the Horticulture Research Institute, Past President of the Edwardsville Rotary Club & a Paul Harris Fellow, Board of Directors of the Edwardsville YMCA, Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Edwardsville Park & Recreation Board, Member of the Illinois State Florists Assoc., Served on the Advisory Board for the Dean of Agriculture at the University of Illinois, Chairman of Agricultural Nursery and Greenhouse Advisory Committee for the American Farm Bureau Federation, & served on the Edwardsville School Board. He was also a US Army veteran of WW II. Visitation will be from 3-8 p.m. Mon., Jan. 21 at Weber & Rodney Funeral Home in Edwardsville. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Tues., Jan. 22 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Edwardsville. Burial will be in Valley View Cemetery in Edwardsville. Memorial contributions may be given to the Horticulture Research Institute, St. Boniface or St. Mary's Schools, or to the Edwardsville Rotary Club.