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In Memoriam Donald Hastings, Jr.

Trees Atlanta would like to remember Donald Madison Hastings, Jr. 1929-2013.

This obituary was published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on September 24, 2013.

Don Hastings, Jr. was born on April 15, 1929, son of Louise Brown Hastings and Donald Madison Hastings, Sr. He grew up at “Floweracres” the seed and nursery farm of the H. G. Hastings Company in Clayton County, Georgia where he often worked in the summer.

Mr. Hastings graduated from Decatur Boys High School and from Cornell University with a degree in Horticulture and as a 2nd Lt. in the US Army Reserves. Returning to Atlanta, he joined H.G. Hastings Co. working with his father whom he later succeeded as President of the company. When Hastings was sold in 1976, Mr. Hastings’ agricultural expertise was sought for work in developing countries. In Egypt, he developed a method of drip irrigation to grow tomatoes for the European winter market and later worked in Malaysia growing vegetables.

For many years, Mr. Hastings was a voice for Southern Gardening. He was host of a call-in gardening show for WRNG Radio and WCNN and succeeded his father as editor of the Southern Garden Newsletter, a monthly letter of instruction and advice. He was the author of five books on gardening in the South and of his autobiography: Rich Harvest, A Life In The Garden.

Mr. Hastings married his beloved wife, Betsy, the former Elizabeth Meade in Danville, Virginia on July 8, 1967. She made a true home for the family in many parts of the world and predeceased him in 2008. He is survived by his two sons: Dr. Don Hastings III, wife, Maggie and daughters Anna and Elizabeth; and by Christopher Meade Hastings, wife, Amy, and sons Hunter and Riley.

Services will be held at All Saint’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta on Thursday the 26th at 10:30am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in his memory are made to Trees Atlanta, 225 Chester Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316.