Design school focuses on flowers

Ruth Jorgensen, owner/president of the school and Centerville Florists Inc., first attended the school in the 1970s after her son Kevin Jorgensen, a Kettering West graduate, completed the program.

“At the time he was looking for a job. I kept seeing the ad for the school, and saying he should go. He didn’t want to. He said I should go, but I was afraid to, so I had him go first,” Ruth Jorgensen said.

The school, an institution in the Dayton area since 1968, was started by two florists in the Belmont area. When the owners offered the Jorgensens a chance to purchase the school and floral shop, Ruth’s husband, Neil, a vice president for manufacturing worldwide at NCR, made it his business to sniff around. Neil Jorgensen found himself increasingly drawn to the place. When he retired from NCR, Jorgensen taught classes at the floral school.

Joe Emerick, a 1989 Fairmont graduate, began working at the floral shop when he was 18 years old. Ruth has been grateful for his help, not only since her son and husband died, but also because she said Emerick keeps her and the business young.

“It takes all of us together to do all the beautiful things,” Ruth Jorgensen said.

There are no classes offered at the David-Curtis floral school (www.david-curtis-school.com) during the holidays. Emerick is making a quick trip to Hawaii to evaluate orchid supplies then he’s back to help with the floral demands associated with the November and December holiday season, and the usual weddings and funerals.

Ruth Jorgensen prefers working on larger arrangements. She said they provide her the best opportunity to showcase the flowers.

Jorgensen has produced many admirers over the years and birthed many new florists. David Nation Jr. is one recent David-Curtis graduate who’s used his training to open his own floral shop in Hopedale, near Steubenville.

According to Emerick, they’ve had another student who was hired to decorate the home of Kevin Costner.

Ruth Jorgensen hasn’t tired of the demands of running a floral shop and school.

“I love to get up and come to work,” Ruth Jorgensen said. “I don’t ever plan to retire.”