Kathryn Pufahl, a renowned horticulturalist whose innovative designs changed the look of American gardens, died on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2003 in Newport, Rhode Island, where her family had gathered to celebrate her parents’ 60th wedding anniversary. She was 44.

Kathy was known worldwide for revolutionizing the art of container gardening. Her designs were seen extensively on the East Coast, in particular on Long Island’s East End where she lived with her husband Kevin Cande and their children, Tyler and Torie.

Kathy was president of Beds and Borders, Inc., in Laurel, NY. She founded the company in 1988 with a few greenhouses on the grounds of her father’s factory in Riverhead, in 1997 she expanded to 17 acres in Laurel with 400 different varieties of specialty plants She combed the world for unusual and exotic ornamental annuals, trading seeds with fellow growers and lecturing extensively in the US and Europe to promote their use.

Because so many of her plants were new to the trade, she experimented with their use in container designs. Her signature style — lush plantings and innovative combinations of color, texture and form — caught the eye of industry professionals. Credited with creating the container planting revolution in the horticulture industry, she was dubbed the "Queen of Containers" in a cover story by Horticulture Magazine.

Kathy’s passion for ornamentals was also the subject of feature articles in The New York Times and Newsday, and her work was featured in Victoria Magazine, Horticulture’s Garden Style Magazine, Country Living Gardener Magazine and Newsday’s Gardening on Long Island. She is known for her brilliant containers designed for Martha Stewart Living Magazine and Goldsmith Seeds.

"Kathy was extraordinary," said Newsday garden writer Irene Virag, who featured her work frequently. "She had a vision and determination and she made it work. She loved plants, she knew plants and she had a gift for getting people excited about plants they may have never even heard of. She was a wonderful gardener and an even more impressive human being."

Mac Griswold, in a New York Times article, stated that "Ms. Pufahl’s eye and determination have changed the face of summer gardening on the East Coast."

Josh Schneider, national spokesperson for Proven Growers and director of marketing for EuropeanAmerican Propagators, said Kathy’s contributions to the industry are permanent.

"The model she started 15 years ago is fairly well ensconced in the industry today," said Schneider. "She had an idea that doing something different could work. Her idea repudiated the way the commercial industry worked and everybody thought she was barking up the wrong tree."

Schneider noted that the key to her success was not that she recognized consumers wanted something different, but that she gave the commercial growers the knowledge and guidance that they needed to successfully grow different plants. Through lectures, demonstrations and media exposure, her creative approach to container gardening — and her plant introductions — took hold.

"Her contributions will be lasting," said Schneider, who travels the globe looking for plant introductions. "I can walk around South Africa and see plants that Kathy introduced [to commercial horticulture]. She’ll be remembered in the millions of window boxes and on patios of people who never knew her."

Born on Long Island on December 17, 1958, she graduated from Locust Valley High School in 1977 and Georgetown University in 1981. Two years after graduating with her degree in biology, she married her high school sweetheart, Kevin Cande.

An accomplished athlete who grew up on waterskis, Kathy also competed along with her husband in the sport of Ultimate Frisbee, serving as one of the early directors of the Ultimate Players Association.

More recently, Kathy was a leader in Shared Decision Making at Mattituck Schools and gave freely of her time mentoring students. She and her children have been active in fundraising for juvenile inflammatory bowel disease organizations.

In addition to her loving husband Kevin, she is survived by her children Tyler and Torie Cande, parents, Joseph and Florence Pufahl of Locust Valley and Shelter Island, NY, brothers, John, Joseph and Robert Pufahl.

She was reposed at William F. Coster Funeral Home 32470 Main Road, Cutchogue New York Wednesday October 16, services will be at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church Cutchogue 10 a.m. Thursday October 17. Interment will be a private ceremony on Shelter Island. Kathy requested that donations in her name be made in lieu of flowers to the Pediatric IBD Research Center at Keith Benkov c/o Mount Sinai Hospital P.O. Box 1656 New York, NY 10029.

Sol Feigman, MD, 81, of Glen Head, died on Oct. 5, 2003. He was a practicing OB/Gyn physician for more than 50 years. Husband of Maria and the late Joyce. Father of Laurie Gellman, Marsha Rodal and Thomas, MD. Brother of Leonard and the late Polly. Grandfather of Mark, Alison, Julia, Carolyn, Michael, Jonathan, Zachary, Maxwell, Samantha, Sydney and the late Marcy. Arrangements were made by the Dodge-Thomas Funeral Home, Glen Cove. Interment Locust Valley Cemetery. Donations may be made to the charity of your choice.

William T. (Buck) Lai, of Old Brookville, died on Oct. 7, 2003. Husband of Mary M. Father of William and Richard. Grandfather of Allison, Danielle, Thomas, Jimmy and Brittany. Arrangements were made by the McLaughlin Kramer Megiel Funeral Home, Glen Cove. Funeral Mass celebrated at St. Hyacinth Church. Interment Holy Rood Cemetery. Contributions in his name may be made to the LI University Buck Lai Endowment Fund.

Marie A. Bologna, 75, of Bayville, died suddenly on Oct. 9, 2003. She was a member of the Rosary Society of St. Gertrude's RC Church. Wife of the late Anthony. Mother of Rena and Anita. Sister of the late Anthony. Grandmother of Danielle and Jeanette. Arrangements were made by the Dodge-Thomas Funeral Home, Glen Cove. Mass at St. Gertrude's RC Church. Interment Locust Valley Cemetery. Donations can be made to the Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf.

Michele Pinto, 40, of Glen Cove, died on Oct. 9, 2003. Husband of Michelle. Father of Cristina and Giovanna. Son of Arcangela and the late Giuseppe. Brother of Angelina, Michelina, Rossette, Mina, Giovanna, Tina, Rosario and Franco. Arrangements were made by the Dodge-Thomas Funeral Home, Glen Cove. Mass at St. Rocco's RC Church. Interment Holy Rood Cemetery.

Helen Sundquist Wulpern, of Oyster Bay and Locust Valley, formerly of Chatham, NJ, died on Oct. 11, 2003 at age 87. Wife of the late Gerard W. Mother of Marianna Jordan (Tom). Sister of the late Edith Lum. Grandmother of Kevin. Arrangements were made by the Dodge-Thomas Funeral Home, Glen Cove. Service at the Locust Valley Reformed Church. Interment Fairmount Cemetery, Chatham.

Sarah Megna, of Sea Cliff, died on Oct. 12, 2003. Sister of Catherine Megna. Arrangements were made by the McLaughlin Kramer Megiel Funeral Home, Glen Cove. Funeral Mass at St. Hyacinth Church. Intemrent Holy Rood Cemetery.