Animal activist, garden enthusiast Hadland dies

Friday, July 19, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

In the early 1950s, when Virginia Bennett saw dogs panting heavily under the hot desert sun in open-air pens at the Las Vegas city pound, she decided to right that wrong.

A member of the Las Vegas chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Virginia fought City Hall -- actually, "badgered," her family says -- until city fathers agreed to install an air-conditioned shelter.

Still, she felt her greatest accomplishments were achieved in supporting her pioneering Las Vegas parks superintendent husband Kenneth Hadland and in her devotion to four generations of children and grandchildren.

Virginia Murdock Hadland, a 51-year Las Vegas resident and avid gardener, died of heart failure July 10 at a local nursing home. She was 90.

A private memorial service was held for the woman, who also was the stepmother of Lawrence "Bud" Hadland, who, in 1968, founded Hadland Nursery Inc. with his son, Richard Hadland.

Bud Hadland died in 1993. Richard, who helped start the business after serving a tour of duty in Vietnam, today is head of the nursery.

"My mother-in-law was a fine lady who enjoyed life, especially the time she spent with her grandchildren," said Emily Hadland, Bud's widow. "We had a close relationship, going shopping and to other places together.

"But, when Kenneth died in 1968, she began to take things more slowly, mostly playing cards with friends until they all died or moved away. At the end, she was not inclined to try and make new friends" because of her advanced age.

The daughter of a Utah city purchasing agent, Virginia was proud of her father's integrity -- a legacy she passed to her children.

The story goes that he was a Mormon who, as part of his job, awarded city contracts to the lowest responsible bidders regardless of their religious affiliations. When pressured by superiors to give the contracts to Mormon-run firms whose bids were higher, Hadland's father resigned in protest.

As a young woman, Hadland moved to Los Angeles, where she found work as a secretary. She married Benny Bennett and the couple in 1945 relocated to Las Vegas, where they later divorced.

In the early 1950s, Virginia became heavily involved with animal rights causes and eventually was given a cubby-hole office at City Hall from which she could do that work.

"Her office was across the hall from Ken's office," said Emily. "She would answer his phone for him when he was out and they became good friends."

Hadland, at the time, was the only parks director the city had ever had, coming on board one week after the department was formed on April 12, 1945.

His name had become synonymous with parks development and the artistic landscaping at City Hall and other public buildings. A park at 26th Street and Stewart Avenue is named for him.

Ken and Virginia shared a passion for gardening. He was a member of the National Association of Gardeners, the American Rose Society and the American Iris Society. She was noted for her green thumb.

After the couple married in 1958, "they regularly traveled to garden club meetings from Arizona to California," Emily recalled.

After Ken's death, Virginia, then 62, disappeared from the public light. She spent her later years at the mobile home on Tropicana Avenue that she and Ken had bought in 1961.

On June 12, Hadland fell and broke a leg while walking around inside the house. She never fully recovered. Despite attempts at rehabilitation, Hadland's health deteriorated until her death last week.

In addition to her daughter-in-law, Hadland is survived by a son, Thomas Wood of Seattle; nine grandchildren; 25 great grandchildren; one great-great grandchild and several nieces and nephews.

DONATIONS: In Hadland's memory to the Southern Nevada SPCA Animal Shelter, 650 White Drive, Las Vegas, NN 89119.