The CED community is deeply saddened by the recent passing of Neal Weatherly, BLA 1962 and MLA 1970.
Neal was a noted plantsman and beloved professor emeritus with roots in a family nursery business. Weatherly taught plant identification and planting design to countless students over many years. He was involved with the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association and served as its President in 1988-89 and for several years coordinated the Landscape Architecture Short Course. His service beyond the CED included coordinating the Georgia LARE Review as well as authoring or co-authoring eighteen publications while at UGA’s Extension office.
In 2005, Neal was honored as the recipient of the CED’s Distinguished Alumni Award for his years of service and dedication to the College and the profession. This is the highest honor bestowed by the College to an alumnus.
In 2014, the Neal Weatherly Scholarship in Landscape Architecture was founded in his honor, which provides support to BLA students.
View Neal Weatherly’s Obituary
Support the Neal Weatherly Scholarship Fund
Tributes from Students / Colleagues:
In 2014, Neal experienced some health issues, and I was asked to take over the continuing education programs at CED. I felt that Neal deserved some sort of recognition for his years of service to the college, our alumni and the profession. Jennifer Messer and I worked to create the Neal Weatherly Scholarship as a way to honor Neal’s contributions. The scholarship was funded in a very short amount of time, due to the generosity of our alumni and all of the goodwill that Neal had created over the years. The following February, at the Short Course, I called Neal up in front of the room and announced the creation of the Scholarship in his honor. It was one of the few times that Neal Weatherly couldn’t think of anything to say. He looked around the room and said, “Thank you, Donnie…and now, I better sit down before I start to cry.” The Neal Weatherly Scholarship has provided assistance to many of our undergraduate students in completing their undergraduate degree.
Donnie Longenecker, BLA 1990
UGA Senior Lecturer, Continuing Education Coordinator, BLA Program Coordinator
I first met Neal Weatherly in the summer of 1978 when he agreed to let me do my internship with him at the Cooperative Extension Service in the Hoke Smith Annex on campus. He had just become the lead Extension Landscape Architect, and he was following in the footsteps of T.G. Williams, another influential UGA landscape architecture alum. During my internship, he afforded me the opportunity to work on a great variety of projects, from preparing landscape plans for different UGA campus buildings to designing an entrance gate and deck at the 4-H Rock Eagle facility in Eatonton, Ga. He took me on visits to different nursery centers in Georgia where he exposed me to the retail and marketing side of the landscape industry, which was something that was never discussed in any of my classes. It gave me a new and different perspective on the varied avenues that were available through our profession. Neal was involved for many years with the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association and served as its President in 1988-89. We would catch up with each other at the Landscape Short Course that he coordinated for many years and at the annual CED Alumni Weekend. He was always interested in how my firm was doing in Asheville, and we would always end up talking about the Georgia Bulldogs football team. Man, did Neal love talking about Geargia football.
In 2005 Neal was honored as the recipient of the College of Environment and Design Distinguished Alumni Award for his years of service and dedication to the College and the profession. This is the highest honor bestowed by the College to an alumnus. An honor he greatly deserved.
What started out as an internship, ended up being a life-long friendship that I will be forever grateful for. I extend my deepest condolences to Cindy and the rest of Neal’s family; he will be greatly missed.
Clay Mooney, BLA 1979
Owner/Principal, Design Associates
It’s hard to believe that when I was a student at UGA studying Landscape Architecture, Professor Weatherly wasn’t much older than I am today. I say that, because even though he was a professor, it felt like he was more than that based on the patriarchal air he carried about him. So much of that was based on how he talked to students. He most certainly lectured on his areas of expertise, but he also instilled his knowledge in a way that felt like your grandfather was telling you a story. I was always intrigued to hear Professor Weatherly’s stories about coming up in the landscape industry in a time when the industry was so different than it is today. And most times, his stories had a parable woven into them, that was a life lesson he had learned and wanted to pass on to the generations that followed his. Professor Weatherly was a kind and gentle soul, and that was evident whenever he had a conversation with you. It didn’t matter what the situation was, his demeaner was always lighthearted and disarming and I think that’s why so many students were drawn to his calming presence. Even though he never really delved into his personal beliefs, it was always evident to me that he was a Godly man based on his character and integrity, and most importantly, how he treated everyone with dignity. Even after graduation, I saw Professor Weatherly on a yearly basis at the Landscape Short Course. He always made coming back to Athens feel like a homecoming of sorts, like I was visiting a family member I hadn’t seen in a while. I’ll never forget his wry smile and the sound of his chuckle when something tickled his sense of humor. And most importantly, I’ll never forget how he took me under his wing and helped me get my start in the profession as I moved on to the world beyond secondary education. It takes a special kind of person to invest in the lives of young people for nearly a lifetime, and Professor Weatherly certainly had the character, wisdom, empathy, and patience to meet that challenge. I will always consider Professor Weatherly to have been a blessing in my life.
May his soul rest in eternal peace.
Bill Caldwell, BLA 1997
Owner, BCLA Design
