Navyman’s Nursery is Restored Through the Kindness of Fellow Nurserymen

October 1, 1945

On this day, The Morning Call out of New Jersey shared the story of Nurseryman William Hallicy.

Bill served twenty-two months during WWII with the Seabees, the Navy's construction force.

After joining the Seabees, Hallicy's nursery was decimated by a brush fire. There wasn't much left to come home to, just weeds and charred trees.

He faced a grim scene when he returned to Clifton, New Jersey.

After he took stock of his situation, Bill estimated it would take him almost a decade to grow salable inventory from new seedlings.

He planned to raise poultry until his nursery could produce again.

But a few days after he arrived home, Bill and his wife woke to the sound of truck motors in the front yard.

The North Jersey Nurseryman's Association honored Hallicy's service with the Seabees by helping him get back on his feet.

The article said,

Unannounced, they appeared at the Hallicy home with $2,500 worth of small trees in 15 trucks.

With tractor, plow, and spades, they cleared the 4-acre plot and set out the trees.

In a few hours, the Hallicy Nursery was right smack back in business.

Neighbor Hallicy started and gulped.

He finally managed to pull himself together and serve beer.

But nothing could wash down the lump in his throat...

We're getting one of our own just thinking about his neighbors.

Makes us want to go right out and buy a big block of stock in human nature, common and preferred.

The story was so touching that newspapers nationwide picked it up.

It even made The Reader's Digest.