Honorary Board Members

Teri Weeks

Past Honorary Board Members

Mary Frances Russell

Remembering Alice Frost Kennedy

Alice dearly loved her family, trees, gardens, animals, celebrating good times and volunteering.

She was a remarkable and an accomplished woman--the consummate volunteer. Truly a lady that the term adjective was meant to describe. You can travel the alphabet from A-Z, from artistic to zealous, and find a word that describes her talents and efforts.

Her influence and affect on this organization is magnanimous. A quick mind and wit touched the Foundation's programs, its people, this city , the State of California and beyond. Alice was into everything. She loved, nourished, encouraged and protected Pasadena Beautiful as if it was a tree so that it would grow strong, straight, tall, and branch out to provide shade and respite for all.

Not job was too big or too small for Alice to imagine, create, or implement from concept idea to stuffing envelopes and delivering fliers. Alice never hesitated to help make things happen. When members got a call from Alice in regard to helping on a project, before they knew it they were the Chair. And then, again before they knew it, she convinced them that they were the only one to do it. However, she never left them out on a limb. She was there to assist whenever it was needed.

Remembering Richard Nevins

Richard Nevins, known as Dick, was a childhood friend of Alice Frost Kennedy and Ted Behr, all three of them became long time and devoted members of Pasadena Beautiful.

He gave generously over the years to PBF. No job was too small for him to do. He would come to the office when Teri Weeks worked there and volunteer to help, whether it be folding letters or stuffing envelopes. He called it “grunt work” or “hands on”, and he was happy to lend a hand.

He was frugal. PBF received a grant to buy a copying machine, which they did. But it needed a stand to sit upon. Dick asked Teri to design what she would like; then Dick built it. And a decade later it still remains in use. He would volunteer his and wife, Mary Lois’ house for PBF parties or for storing PBF materials.

He was on the Finance Committee, and was very deft with numbers and handling of the budget. He was very good at establishing relationships within the Community. He forged relationships with Polytechnic School and “Save Our Street Trees”, a program of PBF, which enabled students to volunteer their help, for which they earned community service credit. He was also on the Pasadena Historical Museum Board and arranged with them to keep the PBF archive papers.

He wouldn’t hesitate to call Board members to encourage them to come out and take part in a project. Dick Nevins was one of those volunteers, who gave their all, and Pasadena Beautiful was a fortunate recipient of his time, dedication, and energy.

Remembering Ted Behr

As a long term Pasadena businessman and property owner, Ted Stood above many of his Pasadena Beautiful peers by his length of devotion and sustained generosity toward furthering the mission of the foundation. He first was a long standing member providing support for many years, often voicing his knowledge and support of the value of trees and landscape in the community.

He then served on the board with regular attendance, missing meetings only when he was away on travel despite a serious medical condition that took him from us. Few of us were even aware of his condition as he tended to the business at hand asking guiding questions and offering sage advice. He was kind and thoughtful, never overbearing or calling attention to himself.

 Early in the new millennium, when the Foundation was briefly in the red he would thoughtfully review the Treasurer’s report taking in the difficulty of the situation. Without notice at the conclusion of the meeting, he would quietly hand the President a check of a very sizable amount. His thoughtful generosity brought us to solvency in very short order.

Ted is honored with this bench and plaque placed on Orange Grove Boulevard near California. Two new magnolias will someday shade bus travelers enjoying the rest spot.

Remembering Bob Cheesewright

Bob lived in Pasadena his entire life except during WWII service where he served the Navy in the South Pacific. He graduated from Polytechnic School and Yale.

He touched many people with his friendly and direct manner and his perserverance. His professional life started by designing kitchens at his father's company, Cheesewright Studios. He had a passion for food, gardens and wine. He was a founder of the Pasadena Food and Wine Society, served as the President of Pasadena Beautiful Foundation, and served as VP of Development for Descanso Gardens in La Canada.

Bob, as a multi-term President, built our bank account in the 80’s by truly meeting our mission of forging many alliances and encouraging memberships. Because Bob simply said “why don’t you join” many members joined and participated for decades.