Meet our Volunteers

Meet Volunteer Gunther Marx

Volunteers come to the Gardens with a wealth of experience and history and Gunther Marx is no exception — his stories include escaping from the Nazi’s in his home country of Germany in 1940 and spending his 17th birthday on a trans-Siberian train. After fleeing Germany his family spent 10 months making their way through Russia, Korea, Japan, and Panama before they settled in Chicago. After several years in the service, Gunther studied watch repair and opened Gunther Marx Jewelry in Chicago which he ran for 47 years.

After his retirement in 1995, Gunther has focused on a variety of endeavors — he’s a member of Kiwanis, he sponsors Key Club, and he belongs to the Desert Viewfinder Camera Club. He’s an active volunteer at  the Chicago Botanic Garden, TMC, St. Josephs and of course, the Tucson Botanical Gardens! Gunther still spends his summers in Chicago, but come November he’s back to Tucson working a double shift every
Sunday in the Gift Shop. In addition, he works several shifts in the Grove Shop during the week. He’s volunteered at the Gardens for 11 years and says it’s the people — the staff and visitors — that keep him coming back year after year.

Gunther lives in Tucson with his wife, Margot and loves visits from his two children and six granddaughters!

Gunther is an example of the amazing and unique individuals that volunteer at the Gardens — we are so glad he’s chosen to make us a part of his life’s adventure!

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Meet Volunteer Dianne Bret Harte

Nearly every Monday afternoon, Dianne Bret Harte is the friendly face that greets visitors on their way in to the Gardens. Like many of our volunteers, Dianne has been an important member of our community and brings her experience and knowledge to the Gift Shop as an ambassador for Tucson and the Gardens. A long-term resident of Tucson, Dianne is a former journalist and editor who worked for the Tucson Citizen, the Arizona Republic and the University of Arizona. A self described “very lucky person” who takes pleasure in observing and participating in life, Dianne enjoys spending time with her 4 children, 5 grandchildren, her dachshund Si Si, and loves to cook, travel and read.

Dianne has worked at the Gardens for ten years though her history with the place goes back much further – she knew the original owners of the property, the Porter’s, and spent time here as a young girl. She even remembers helping clean the cattle tank! Dianne believes that it is this history that gives value to the Gardens current incarnation – the past and present meld together seamlessly in a unique, friendly environment that is welcoming to our diverse community of volunteers, staff and visitors.

Dianne lives by the words of Dr. Seuss: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who matter won’t mind and those who mind don’t matter.”

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