Obituary of Alfred M. Wiedemann

Alfred Max Wiedemann 78, passed away June 2, 2010 in Rochester, WA. Al Wiedemann was a lover of life. He seized each day, with unflagging optimism and unique wit, celebrating family and friends, work and play, nature and the arts, gardening and dancing, and sausage and sauerkraut.Born 24 November 1931 in Chicago, Al was the first child of Helmut and Frieda Wiedemann, German immigrants. He was raised with his 5 siblings on a small farm in Naperville, IL. They attended the one room schoolhouse and helped on the homestead. It was here that Al grew to love the natural world around him, and developed a strong work ethic as well as a desire to travel. Al excelled in academics. He began his higher education at the Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta. In 1953, he enlisted in the US Army and served as a paratrooper in the last days of the Korean War. His military service of combined active and reserve duty lasted 38 years. He attained the rank of Command Sergeant-Major.. Al continued his higher education at the University of Illinois. He received his BS in Crop Science and MS in agronomy at Utah State University. After a year at North Dakota State, he went on to Oregon State and in 1966 received his PhD in botany. His dissertation, “Contributions to the plant ecology of the Oregon Coastal Sand Dunes,” began a scholarly pursuit on the subject that lasted the rest of his life. As a result, Al became the primary authority on the vegetation of the coastal dunes of Oregon. One of his contributions will be published posthumously. Al’s interest in teaching and travel was realized in 1967 when he became a Fulbright scholar at the University of Malaysia and a National Science Foundation researcher of Australia’s Simpson Desert sand dunes. When Al returned to the USA, he began his 35 year career as a founding faculty member at The Evergreen State College. He expressed his creativity from the beginning, as the brainchild behind both the Geoduck as Evergreen’s mascot and Omnia Extares as the motto. Al developed the first programs in ecology and field natural history. He was popular with students and respected by colleagues for his expertise and knowledge. An observer and philosopher, he shared his passion and wisdom with patience and humor. . He was a great storyteller. Al received Faculty Emeritus status upon his retirement in 2005. On his land in Rochester, Al returned to his childhood roots and grew bountiful gardens. He designed and built his dream house complete with a dance floor. Al was a semi-professional dancer, mastering International, Ballroom, Scandinavian, and Argentine Tango. He also studied and taught the evolution and contemporary practice of ethnic social dance, with a particular emphasis on the Scandinavian countries. Al served on the board of the Olympia Ballroom Association, and was integral to the restoration of the historic ballroom in the old Olympian Hotel, in Olympia, Wa. Furthering his dedication to dance, he served on the board of the Skandia Folkdance Society in Seattle, WA. He also served as a Commissioner of the Grand Mound/Rochester Park and Recreation District, which was formed to plan and develop a park and recreation program for the community. A true “Renaissance man,” Al was interested in all life had to offer. He embraced cultures, languages, and the fiddle and celebrated theater and art. Extensive travel was part of Al’s lifestyle and learning. He had personal and/or professional contacts in many countries, including Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Germany, South Africa, Indonesia, and Australia. Al’s years of travel are documented in an extensive collection of journals which are archived at The Evergreen State College (archives.evergreen.edu). Al was a great fan of the literary hero Zorba the Greek, and it was from him that he drew in part his realized passion to live life to its fullest. He did that very well, and in the process took many of his friends along with him. Al will be greatly missed as he has touched so very many lives. Al is survived by his children April Denny of Tallahassee, Florida and Lorelei Johansen of Lisle, IL, former wife Joyce (Smith) Wiedemann, grandchildren Nicole, Joshua, Samantha, and Lucas Denny and Jonathan and Janelle Johansen, great grandson Alric Max Wiedemann, his siblings Martha Lauger, Tabitha Kiesel, Ruth Johnston, and John Wiedemann, and devoted friend Barbara Damron. Al’s celebration of life will be held at 2:00 pm, Saturday, 12 June in the Longhouse at The Evergreen State College. Memorial contributions can be made to The Evergreen State College, Harlequin Productions, Providence Hospice, Friends of the Dunes, the Seattle USO or for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s research. Condolences to Al’s dear family and friends can be made by clicking on "View Guestbook" below.