LEFEVRE GARDENING ROOTS
GROW DEEP
SPANNING FOUR GENERATIONS
Bud's horticultural genes trace back to the early 1900’s
when his grandpa, Edwin William LeFevre
tended the private gardens of both
the Benson and Bittorf’s,
families that started National Mfg in 1902.
Edwin was also in the first crew at National.
1ST GENERATION
He raised a family of four including sons, Charles and William.
2ND GENERATION
Edwin’s influence on young Charles “Jink”, 21,
and William “Red”, 18, was evident
when they started their horticulture careers in 1929
at Sterling Floral Company.
At the time, Sterling Floral Company
was one of the largest and oldest
floral companies in the state of Illinois.
Sterling Floral Co. started in 1871
by Mr. Mangan and was purchased by
Robert Lundstrom in 1904.
In 1933 Robert Jr. took over
and ran it until he left
for the service in 1942,
later reopening in ’46
after the war ended.
In the 50’s he changed the name
to Lundstrom Florist and Greenhouse.
For thirteen years, Red and Jink honed their skills
at Sterling Floral Co/Lundstrom Florist.
In 1942 during the war, while Robert Jr
was away serving, Red and Jink,
left to venture out on their own
and start up Sterling Floral “Shop”
in downtown Sterling, Il.
It would be 30 years before another
LeFevre worked at Lundstrom Florist.
The two brothers also had a corner on the market
with fresh produce they sold to area restaurants.
Red and Jink successfully operated
their business for 17 years,
from 1942-1959,
the year that
Jan “Bud” LeFevre
was born.
On the other side of Bud’s family,
his Great Uncle Vinny Oehl
was a founding member
of the Dixon Men’s Garden Club
and very active in the Dixon Farmer’s Market.
With all the interest in horticulture
it’s no wonder that one of Red’s two boys
picked up where he and Jink left off.
3RD GENERATION
Red’s youngest, “Bud”, grew up learning
at the knee of his dad and uncle
about flowers and vegetable gardening.
In 1973, at 13, Bud started working
for Lundstrom’s Florist.
He was the second generation LeFevre
to work for Lundstrom’s.
Lisa's grandmother, his neighbor, Mary Higby,
and the person who gave him his nickname, “Bud”,
got him the job.
In 1980, Bud received a degree in Ornamental Horticulture
with emphasis in greenhouse and garden center management
from Kishwaukee College in Malta, IL
and then went to Swartley’s Greenhouse
in Sterling as a grower.
In 1985 he ventured out on his own
freelancing, and, like his grandfather,
also worked at National Mfg.
He did this for the next twenty-two years.
In 1992, the fourth generation
of LeFevre’s to work in horticulture,
Quin Allen LeFevre, was born.
Later in 1999, Distinctive Gardens opened in Dixon, IL.
Bud’s son, Quin, started working
with his dad at 8 years old.
To present, Quin, at age 22
is still working at Distinctive Gardens
after graduating from college.
For Bud, he feels very fortunate
to do a job that he loves
while working with his family
at the same time.
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