Lou Messmer in the lab at Grays Harbor College in 1967
Lou’s first teaching positions were in the public school at Grisdale logging camp and at Kelso High School. For four summers he served as a Park Ranger in the Olympic National Park. Beginning in 1953 he taught botany, biology, marine biology, microbiology and zoology at Grays Harbor College for 33 years.
After he retired he continued to teach a Spring Botany course for 16 years and has remained active in many local efforts to identify and protect sensitive ecological habitats throughout western Washington. He is a Fellow of the Washington Native Plant Society and a past board member of the Washington State Nature Conservancy. Lou’s passion for teaching life sciences has impacted thousands of students over the years.
Lou and his wife, Ann, raised six children in Bear Gulch, outside of Aberdeen. Together they travelled the world enjoying plant cultures and hosted 28 local Elderhostel programs.
The purpose of this scholarship is to honor Lou’s love of nature and his influence in helping so many people understand, appreciate, and enjoy the natural world around us.
This scholarship is for students at Grays Harbor College or the University of Washington concentrating their studies in life sciences and interested in protecting the quality of the natural environment.