Julie McKinney Bown, was awarded the honorary title of “Texas Master Gardener Emerita” at the annual awards meeting of the Dallas County Master Gardener Association on February 24.

The decision to bestow this exclusive title is serious and made by consensus of the County Extension Horticultural Agent and the county Master Gardener leadership. To date, this honor has only been given to 70 Master Gardeners statewide.

On her retirement last year, Julie was the longest-serving Dallas County Master Gardener (DCMG) and the sole remaining member of the Class of 1992. The emerita status is in recognition of her almost 30 years of dedicated service to the program and to the citizens of Dallas County.

Before becoming a Master Gardener, Julie earned an MBA in finance from Georgia State University and certification as a litigation paralegal. She was the youngest and first female Vice President at Salomon Bros.

From 1995 through 2001 Julie served the Dallas County Master Gardener Association (DCMGA) in several key roles on the Board of Directors, including Treasurer, President, and Past President. During her tenure, she applied her paralegal knowledge to facilitate the incorporation of the then 250-member organization and its subsequent qualification as a 501 C (3).

Julie has contributed approximately 2000 hours to the Master Gardener program. Her favorite volunteer projects included educating students with special needs at the Multiple Careers Magnet Center, serving as a garden guide at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, and propagating plants in the Texas Discovery Garden greenhouse. Julie was also instrumental in the complete revision of the DCMGA Bylaws in 2015.

Julie joins an exclusive group. To date, only seven others from Dallas County have been awarded the Texas Master Gardener Emeritus title—Robert Hagen, Jerrold Johnsen, Rosa Schachle, Bunny Williams, Marian Buchanan, Carolyn Bush, and Tom Wilten.

Julie McKinney Bown, pictured above and in center of the large photo at top, with a Dallas Arboretum guest (left) and fellow Master Gardener Starla Willis. Julie was a Dallas County Master Gardener for 30 years before retiring last year.