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Fun Fact Friday with Special Collections
Fri, 09/08/2023 - 11:48am
Today we are highlighting Collection 500, Walter C. Holmes Collection.
Dr. Holmes was born in New Orleans and grew up in LaPlace, La. He received a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana Tech University and his doctorate from Mississippi State University, both in botany. After receiving his bachelor’s, he served in the United States Naval Air Force as a pilot.
Dr. Holmes began his teaching career as Professor of Biology and Curator of the Herbarium at Northwestern State University from 1975-1989. He then moved to Baylor University, where he was Professor of Biology and Director of the Herbarium. He taught at Baylor until his retirement in 2018. He published over 200 professional publications in his career and received numerous honors. These honors include a Senior Research Fellowship from the Smithsonian Institute and the Donovan Stewart Correll Memorial Award for scientific writing on the native flora of Texas from the Native Plant Society of Texas. He retired and lived with his wife in Waco, TX, until passing away in 2023. His interests included gardening, wildlife observation, and Cajun and Creole Cooking.
This collection was donated by Dr. Walter Holmes and his wife, Nan Holmes, and contains two unpublished manuscripts he wrote on Louisiana plants and animals.
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Fun Fact Friday is brought to you by Special Collections.