Naturalist

Elizabeth Terwilliger received two honorary doctorates and many prestigious awards in her lifetime, including the JC Penney “Golden Rule Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service”; State of California, “Trailblazer in the World of Conservation and Teaching”; Daughters of the American Revolution “National Conservation Award”; Chevron’s Conservation Award; Marin “Women’s Hall of Fame”; the Marin Conservation League’s “Peter Behr Award”, the National Education Film Festival’s “John Muir Award”; and the CINE “Golden Eagle Award.”

Perhaps the most memorable was the “Volunteer Action Award” in 1984 presented by President Reagan at the White House. Never missing a chance to spread her message, she taught the President how to imitate a hawk in flight, their picture together captured forever on the front page of the Washington Post. She then commandeered the podium to instruct the nationwide viewing audience to repeat her favorite doctrine for children: “This is my country. Wherever I go, I will leave it more beautiful than I found it.” She never stopped setting that example as she picked up trash at the East Gate of the White House, waiting for the ceremony to begin. She enchanted Washington, D. C.’s politicians, and television viewers with her enthusiastic, matter-of-fact love of Lincoln, books, and teaching children about the world around them. A local television crew accompanied Mrs. T. on the plane to Washington D.C. recording this extraordinary woman’s odyssey. The resulting TV documentary inspired a news team from “20/20″ to later join Mrs. T on a field trip and produce a segment, which was aired on National Television.