Evening star., 1952-05-12

IIlVIIIoS -. JCIIcISy W.
Designer Of Famed
Landscaping, Dies
Thomas C. Je1ers, 81, land
scape architect Of many of Wash
ington's best known memorial
and parkways. died suddenly of .
heart attack yesterday at Garfiele
Hospital.
Chief Of projects and design
for the National Capital Park ant
Planning Commission, he ha,
been in the Government service
for "a years. He resided at 861,
Piney Branch road NV.
Mr.. Jeffers was born in Louis
willie. KY, November 8, 1889. Be
fore coming to Washington, h,
spent his early years with tn
Louisville Nashville Railroad as .
craftsman.
From railroading, Mr.. Jeffer!
turned to landscaping. He wa.
associated eight years with the
firm of Olmstead Bros, Brookline
Mass, where he received valuable
training for the jobs he was to de
later in Washington.
Probably his best known private
work here was the designing o1
the bishops garden at Washing.
ton Cathedral.
Headed Work at Arlington.
His first Government connec-
ton was with the Construction
Corps of the Army Quartermastel
from 1918 to 1923. He did much
of the improvements in Arlington
National Cemetery during and
after World War I.
Mr.. Jeffers became an associate
landscape architect for the form
er Office Of Public Buildings and
Parks in 1923. That was the pred
ecessor to the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
When that agency was formed in
1926, he joined it as associate
landscape architect and from 1881
to 1850 he was in charge of de-
signs.
During these formative years of
planning in Washington. Mr.. JEFF
fers had an important part in de-
signing the present District rec
reational plan. He was secretary
of the committee in charge and
did most of the actual planning of
projects. AS designer for all the
park, recreational centers and
Fairgrounds acquired by NCPPC
during its existence, he became
one of the best known advisers on
recreational matters in this area.
Since organization of the Dis
trict Recreation Board he repre-
sented the NCPPC at all its meet
ings, though not officially a men,
ber.
Beautified Highways. ~
Much of the landScaping of the
Mount Vernon Memorial highway
the George Washington Memorial
parkway, Suitland parkway, Fort
drive and more recently the Bal
timore- Washington parkway is a
result of his design and Supervi-
sion. He also did the landscaping
for Gallinger Municipal Hospital.
For about nine months of 1850
81, Mr.. JefferS was loaned to the
Public Building Administration to
become chief of building sites.
There is close cooperation be-
tween this agency and NCPPC, as
the latter must approve Federal
building designs.
He returned to the planning
agency in April, 1851, and was
promoted to chief of projects and
designs.
Honored by Architects.
Professionally, Mr.. Jeffers was
active for years in the American
Society Of Landscape Architects.
He was made a fellow in 1850 and
served as president of it's Wash
ington chapter from 1948 to 1850.
Recently he was elected a trustee
of the Washington chapter.
Besides his widow, Mrs. Ruby L.
Jeffers, he is survived by a son,
Thomas c. Jeffers, jr., of Truss
vile, Ala, and two daughters,
Mrs. Elizabeth j. Stein of Mobile,
Ala, and Mrs. Winifred j. Burch
of MechanicSville, Md.
Jeffers also leaves 13 grandchil-
dren.
Services will be held tomorrow
at 3 pm. at the Hines funeral
home, 2901 Fourteenth street
NV. Burial will be in Cedar Hill
Cemetery. Pallbearers were being
named today. ..