Ellis Rawnsley, former copydesk chief and garden editor for The Cincinnati Enquirer, died Tuesday of heart failure at the Sem Haven health-care center in Milford. He was 94.

        A native of Yorkshire in England, Mr. Rawnsley moved to the United States at age 13. He graduated from Passaic High School in Passaic, N.J.

        He started his journalism career at his hometown newspaper, the Passaic Daily Herald, in 1924.

        He left the Herald to become a correspondent and wire editor for the Associated Press.

        He began working for the AP at age 19, the youngest ever to hired by the news service at that time.

        During his stint with the AP, Mr. Rawnsley worked for bureaus in Trenton, N.J.; Pittsburgh; Columbus and Cincinnati.

        In 1937, Mr. Rawnsley moved to the Cincinnati Times-Star newspaper. He later was hired by The Enquirer, and in 1959, he began contributing garden tips.

        That evolved into his own column, “In the Garden.”

        What began for Mr. Rawnsley as a hobby — gardening — blossomed into a career.

        Most of his advice dealt with Cincinnati's unpredictable climate.

        His tips were so well-received that the Cincinnati Garden Center compiled them as part of a calendar it sold.

        Mr. Rawnsley also grew flowers for the wholesale market and started his own seeds at his home greenhouse.

        In 1959, the American Seed Trade Association honored Mr. Rawnsley as its outstanding garden editor. He was an honorary life member of the Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati, regional director of the Botanical Writers Association of America and founding board member of the Cincinnati Garden Center.

        Mr. Rawnsley was co-founder and fire chief of the Terrace Park Volunteer Fire Department for nine years and a volunteer for 25 years, retiring in 1969. He helped form the village's emergency life squad.

        “He was dedicated to the village of Terrace Park. He was a quiet and gentle man, but (had many) dear friends,” said his son, David Ellis Rawnsley of Lebanon.

        Mr. Rawnsley wrote a book, A Place Called Terrace Park, detailing the history of the village. It was published in 1992.

        Mr. Rawnsley retired from the Enquirer in 1979.

        His wife, Bonita Hammer, preceded him in death.

        Other survivors include his daughters, Mary Louise Eycke of Raleigh, N.C., and Virginia Senton of Lansing, N.Y.; 11 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Mable Eynon of Sparta, N.J.

        Service will be 4 p.m. Mondayat St. Thomas Church in Terrace Park. Mr. Rawnsley donated his body to the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

        Memorials may be made to Hospice of Cincinnati, 4310 Cooper Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242.

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