NPS Photo

1998 photo of Volunteer Elsie Applegate performing tour operations at the Southeast Gate of the White House

Date: June 8, 2007

President’s Park is sad to report that a long time volunteer, Elsie J. Applegate, passed away on Monday, June 4, 2007. She was 98 years old. Elsie began volunteering at President's Park when the park first established a volunteer program in 1982. She remained on staff until 2001. 

Elsie was deeply committed to serving visitors at President's Park. She found so many ways to do this whether it was staffing the park’s information kiosk, greeting visitors waiting in line to tour the White House, assisting with special events such as the Lighting of the National Christmas Tree, White House Garden Tours, White House Easter Egg Roll, or Presidential Inaugurations. However Elsie did not stop there, her deep respect for the mission of the National Park Service led her to work with appropriate park staff to replace a Gingko tree in historic Lafayette Park in 1987. The tree that Elsie helped to replace is still providing shade and comfort to countless visitors in this historic park area located north of the White House. In recognition of the myriad contributions that Elsie made through the years to the National Park Service she was selected as the National Park Service, National Capital Region, Volunteer of the Year in 1988.

Elsie began her volunteering career after her sons graduated from high school. Over the years, she has volunteered with many organizations, including the American Heart Association and the Civil Air Defense for whom she served as a plane spotter during World War II. Elsie said that she "always enjoyed working with the public" and "loved that volunteering enabled her to meet so many interesting people".

Elsie's son, Charles Applegate, shared how much pride and joy Elsie took in being associated with the National Park Service at President's Park serving alongside its outstanding staff and corps of volunteers. In recognition of his mother's connection with the National Park Service Mr. Applegate is asking for those people who would like to make donations in memory of his mother to send funds to the President's Park Volunteer Program Donation Account.

While the park is saddened by the loss of someone who did so much to serve the mission of the National Park Service it is gratefully aware that like the Gingko tree she helped to replace, Elsie Applegate's legacy will continue to flourish and grow in President's Park for years to come.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the park’s volunteer program in memory of Elsie J. Applegate.

President’s Park
c/o Volunteer Program Donation
Room 344
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Washington, DC 20242