Obituary of George W. Pouder

George W. Pouder, Horticulturist

1923 - 2024

George Washington Pouder, 101, of New Milford, CT passed away on Friday morning the 6th of September, while looking upon his beloved garden with family and his spoiled dogs by his side.

George was born January 18, 1923 to George and Hedwig (Esser) Pouder in the Bronx, NY and was predeceased by his parents and brother William. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Dr. Katina Aurelia Raciti, MD of New Milford, their sons George (Linda) of Northwood, NH, Leonard (Gabrielle) of Sharon, CT, and Nick (Linda) of New Milford as well as grandchildren Alexandra, Arielle, Olivia and Maggie.

From an early age, George was fascinated by the natural world and explored the swamps and woodlands of New York City and lower Westchester County. A passionate Boy Scout, he reached the rank of Eagle Scout, was inducted into the Order of the Arrow, and was a camp counselor at Ten Mile River Scout Camp. In the backyard of his Bronx apartment, George planted his first garden in 1927 and continued gardening for his entire life. Saplings he planted in the 1920s at his home on Pittman Avenue now shade the yard and have done so for generations of its residents.  

These early experiences inspired him to pursue a career in horticulture. He received his degree in Ornamental Horticulture from the State Institute of Agriculture at Farmingdale in 1943 and worked for his mentor Werner Lieb at Lieb’s Greenhouses in New Rochelle, NY before deploying for World War II. After returning from the War, he worked for various greenhouses, eventually returning to Lieb’s which he purchased in 1954 and operated with his son Leonard until retirement in the 1990s.

Though he despised the atrocities of war, he was deeply proud of his service to his country. He enlisted in the US Army during WWII and served in North Africa and Europe from 1943 to 1946. While assigned to the 42nd Infantry Division, he participated in the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp and later served at the Nuremberg prison during the trials. Shaped by the inhumanity he witnessed during war, George spent the remainder of his life bringing beauty to the world through his work with plants. In 2014 he was awarded the Chevalier de la Legion D’Honneur by the President of the Republic of France for his service during the liberation of France and the defeat of the Nazi regime. 

While working for the Liebs, their daughters Margaret and Annie introduced him to their high school classmate, Dr. Aurelia Raciti, who had just opened her pediatrics practice in New Rochelle. Thus began a romance that spanned 67 years. George proposed on Cape Cod Bay in a rowboat named ‘The Easy’ and they were married in February 1957. Together in New Rochelle, and then in North Castle, NY where they lived for 54 years, they raised three rambunctious boys and traveled the world. 

As a child of the Great Depression, the memories of families being evicted from their homes, with all their belongings auctioned off except the clothing they wore, seared in him a lifelong sense of thrift and self-reliance.

Always curious, George spent much of his retirement propagating plants and exploring botanical curiosities in his garden “Mon jardin des mes reves” and attending courses at Pace University and Westchester Community College. He had a particular interest in local history and was active with the North Castle Historical Society and the “History Hounds,” an ad-hoc group of like-minded history buffs. He received the Sy Schulman History Award from the Westchester Historical Society for his biographies of Civil War Veterans. George was a member of Post 1672 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 31 of the American Legion, served on the vestry of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and on multiple Town of North Castle committees, and was active with the Bedford Farmers Club.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Westchester County Historical Society 

2199 Saw Mill River Road
Elmsford, NY 10523

https://westchesterhistory.com/support-us/