Ron Trexler - A Love of Nurturing People... And Plants

A quick learner, Ron Trexler, 66, has spent a lifetime sharing and teaching others what he has learned. This started in his early years working at his father’s Wolfeboro marina on Lake Winnipesaukee and continues to today when he teaches Master Gardener classes, answers participants’ questions and delivers outreach programs.

“I’m Ruth’s right-hand man,” Ron says, of the varied jobs he does at sessions organized by Master Gardener Coordinator Ruth Smith. When he’s not helping with class logistics, “I’m listening to the speakers,” he says. “I’m absorbing the information they are giving.” After several classes he’s absorbed enough information to answer students’ questions and teach some classes himself. “Its self-education,” says Ron, who recently taught the ‘Go Botany’ class during the Master Gardener training.

Born in Baltimore, young Ron and his family moved north through several Northeast states until they reached New Hampshire. Ron helped his dad at the marina. He became a master marine mechanic, and master electrician. With those two incredible skills, he opened a business working around the Lakes Region area.

His father died at 48, and Ron accepted this as his fate. “I was like my father in every way, and expected to also die young,” he says. “I sold my business and retired so that I would enjoy the last few years of my life, rather than work myself to the grave like my father did.”

But this resourceful guy beat his father’s odds. Following this semi-retired period, he began working part-time at the retailer Best Buy in 2000, and moved through full-time positions until he had a top job supervising 750 stores and traveling the country. After a company restructuring he went back to part time work, which leaves time for his efforts with the Master Gardener program.

Ron has served as chair of the Master Gardener Speaker’s Bureau and continues to give regular presentations to outside groups such as libraries, garden clubs and community organizations. He recently helped train some new speakers for this Master Gardener outreach effort.

Ron lives in Manchester with his wife, Caroline, and is an active gardener. His favorite gardening activity is propagation. “I love the nurturing aspect of creating something out of a seed,” he says. “I love nurturing people too…that fathering mentality.”

His family includes two stepdaughters, five granddaughters (with a sixth granddaughter on the way), a great-granddaughter, and a son.  He president of the Hooksett Garden Club, a rare situation, since most garden clubs are largely female and seldom have a male president. He smiles easily as he explains his unusual place in garden club.  “It comes to me naturally because of the large number of females in my family.”