Obituary for Varley E. Wiedeman
Dr. Varley E Wiedeman passed away at the Masonic Home on Sunday, June 7. He was born March 14, 1933 in Oklahoma City, and raised by adoptive parents Earl & Celia Wiedeman near Lawton, Oklahoma.
Varley graduated high school in Rogers, Arkansas, served four years as a medical corpsman in the Navy, and attended the University of Oklahoma under the GI Bill. He earned Bachelor and Masters degrees at OU, and in 1964 a PhD in Botany from The University of Texas at Austin. He began his 31-year teaching career in the Department of Biology at the University of Louisville, teaching and counseling thousands of students, becoming the first recipient of the university’s Outstanding Teacher Award.
After his 1995 retirement from U of L, he joined the staff of the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest until 2013, and then continued as a volunteer.
He served his country, his church, and his university in many ways, always with curiosity and a keen interest in learning something new.
Varley is survived by two sons Wyeth M Wiedeman (Evelyn) of Austin, TX; Whitney S Wiedeman (Alexandra) on assignment abroad with the U.S. State Department, and five grandchildren including Madison, Harper, Sophie, Nayeli, and Corwin Wiedeman.
He is also survived by Roberta Wiedeman, and close family friend Wendy Gentry (like a daughter and sister).
The family requests you please consider making a gift in Varley’s honor to Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest at www.bernheim.org/donate or to St. Matthews Episcopal Church where a memorial service will be held at a later date.
Varley graduated high school in Rogers, Arkansas, served four years as a medical corpsman in the Navy, and attended the University of Oklahoma under the GI Bill. He earned Bachelor and Masters degrees at OU, and in 1964 a PhD in Botany from The University of Texas at Austin. He began his 31-year teaching career in the Department of Biology at the University of Louisville, teaching and counseling thousands of students, becoming the first recipient of the university’s Outstanding Teacher Award.
After his 1995 retirement from U of L, he joined the staff of the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest until 2013, and then continued as a volunteer.
He served his country, his church, and his university in many ways, always with curiosity and a keen interest in learning something new.
Varley is survived by two sons Wyeth M Wiedeman (Evelyn) of Austin, TX; Whitney S Wiedeman (Alexandra) on assignment abroad with the U.S. State Department, and five grandchildren including Madison, Harper, Sophie, Nayeli, and Corwin Wiedeman.
He is also survived by Roberta Wiedeman, and close family friend Wendy Gentry (like a daughter and sister).
The family requests you please consider making a gift in Varley’s honor to Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest at www.bernheim.org/donate or to St. Matthews Episcopal Church where a memorial service will be held at a later date.