David F. Melrose | Horticulturist, 92

David F. Melrose, 92, of Broomall, a retired horticulturist, died Friday, Dec. 17, of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at Neighborhood Hospice in West Chester.

For 25 years, Mr. Melrose was a horticulturist at Swarthmore College. He retired in 1985 as supervisor of the college grounds and as assistant director of Scott Arboretum at Swarthmore. He was past president of the International Society of Arboriculture.

A native of Huntington, N.Y., Mr. Melrose earned an associate's degree in horticulture from Cornell University.

During World War II, he served in the Army Air Force. In 1943, before shipping out to the Philippines, he married his high school sweetheart, Genevieve Simpson.

After his discharge, he worked at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and as a groundskeeper at the Barnes Foundation before joining the staff at Swarthmore.

Mr. Melrose loved old cars and was a talented mechanic, son Douglas said. He and another son, David, restored a 1928 Buick and a 1953 Cadillac, and partially restored a 1947 Buick.

He enjoyed family vacations in New England and, after his children were grown, traveled to the Caribbean and to the Southwest with his wife. She died in 2006.

In addition to his sons, Mr. Melrose is survived by a sister; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

A funeral will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 29, at Frank C. Videon Funeral Home, 2001 Sproul Rd., Broomall. Friends may call from 10. Burial will be in Glenwood Memorial Gardens, Broomall.

Donations may be made to Marple Presbyterian Church, 105 N. Marple Rd., Broomall, Pa. 19008.