Paul Thomas was a teacher, first and foremost. He cared
about his students in a way that is rarely seen. And we were all his students, whether we sat
in his classroom or not. Paul taught us so much it is hard to put into words.
Paul came to our greenhouse 30 years ago during his first
year of teaching at the University of Georgia. I know this because he told me
so when he in his last semester of teaching before retirement and was still
coming to our greenhouse. He struck a
friendship with my in laws back in 1989, and in his role of professor and
extension agent came by many times during those 3 decades. Michael was still in High school and probably
thought he would never work in the green industry willingly. I’M SURE Paul never thought he would have
friendships with 2 generations of Davises. Later, Dr. Thomas would teach
Michael at UGA – Greenhouse Management of all things.
Dr. Thomas went on to develop a class on greenhouse business
practices and would enlist my mother in law’s help and expertise to develop his
curriculum. Every time I spoke in one of
Paul’s classes he would use our employee manual and an example of business
practices and would always tell his students how much the Davises helped him
when he first came to Georgia and in developing this class. He would always talk to us like we helped him
so much and was always grateful to us for our help as if we had a choice but to
help him. We had to help him, because no
matter how much we tried to do for him, it would never measure to the amount of
help he gave us through the years.
You see, Paul was a champion of the greenhouse industry and
a champion for his students: past and present.
Everyone could see his devotion on social media always congratulating a
student for a new internship or promotion.
What most people didn’t see is how relentlessly he worked to help secure
the internships for these kids. How many
job interviews he set up. How many
growers he helped place with the right greenhouse. It is hard to imagine how he found the time
to do all he did. You know, being a
college professor and an extension agent is 2 full time jobs already! But to Paul, the kids came first and he would
never dream of telling anyone “I do not think I can help you find that
job.”
I have been in the industry for almost 10 years. If Dr. Thomas called me and asked me to speak
in his class my answer was always “When?”
We joked at Davis Floral “If Paul calls and says jump you say how
high.” He was ALWAYS there for us. He was there to find us growers. He was there to give advice. He was there to look at a troubled crop. He was there to introduce us to potential
customers or business partners. He was there to just listen. He was always
there. He was there via email, on the
phone, of facebook or in person. I do
not recall him ever saying no to me or Michael.
When I heard he was retiring I was a little panicky. What are we going to do without him was the
question I kept asking. I honestly did
not know what I would do. Who do I call? When I feel like I am losing my mind, who do
I talk it through with. I figured he would still be around. He might be traveling somewhere but surely he
would still be here to help. He would be
around. After all, he wasn’t going
anywhere.
I know if is a cliché but it is cliché for a reason
folks. Tomorrow is never promised. I am going to have to do it without him.
Lucky for me I had a great teacher, because although I was never his student in
the classroom I had the privilege of learning from him for the better part of a
decade. His legacy lives on in all of us
who he helped throughout his long and distinguished career. So many of us
are better for having known him it amazes me.
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| Picture taken from Qourtney Phillips |
Thank you friend. You
were one of a kind and we will miss you.
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