Thursday, August 20, 2009

Memorial tree dedication


Good Morning and welcome...

We gather this lovely summer morning to dedicate our Class of ‘57 Memorial Tree-an idea that sprang for the passing of our beloved German exchange student, Klaus Dreyer shortly after our 50th class reunion. Klaus was with us one short year but his impact on our world was profound...that year was 1955-56 one of those quality years of the golden 50's.

While consoling each other -the idea surfaced for planting a memorial tree-Today it stands before you-An Autumn Blaze Maple-10 feet tall.


...OUR TREE

FIRM IN THIS GOOD BROWN EARTH
SET WE OUR LITTLE TREE
COOL DEWS WILL FRESHEN IT
SUMMER SHOWERS WILL FEED IT
SUN WILL BE WARMING IT
AS WARMTH IS NEEDED.
WIND WILL BLOW ROUND IT FREELY
TAKE ROOT GOOD TREE!

SLOWLY, AS DAYS GO ON,
THESE BOUGHS WILL STOUTER BE,
LEAVES WILL UNFURL ON THEE,
AND WHEN SPRING COMES TO YOU
BIRDS MAY BUILD THERE,
SHADE OUTSRETCH,WIDE AND FREE-
GROW WELL, GOOD TREE!.
IN THIS GOOD BROWN EARTH.

So we dedicate our tree to:

Sharon Rothermel - Lovely, smart and troubled-she was our first devastating loss. We vowed to take better care of each other thereafter...

Larry Stiger, Duane Blake and Jerry Wagner - the quiet ones - not saying much but not missing much either. "Still waters run deep" is the old saying...and true.

Mary Lou Seay Saldecki-Pert - pretty, petite and blonde...having it all-she was a good and loyal friend.

Tomas Walker - or "Walk' as he liked to be called with his dark, slicked back hair in the Elvis duck tail. He'd be pleased to be remembered that way, I think

Libby Mayo Woody - Striking red head with a sprinkle of freckles and a hint of a southern accent-she was something!

Donald Hundertmark - Known affectionately as "the Don" by his co-workers, instilled with the strongest of work ethics but under that seemingly gruff exterior lay a kind and considerate soul.

Norman Garrison - Dear Norman .. world’s worst ukulele player but with a self deprecating sense of humor ..he was such a joy..his loss was the hardest to bear I think..

Klaus Dreyer - Charismatic, ever smiling, well mannered- he was Germany's bridge builder to a better, more peaceful world...we will never see the like of him again.

We ask God's blessing on our little tree...that it may grow...wide and tall-to reach the floor of heaven that they may look down and know that they are not forgotten.

Sylvia on bagpipes with "Amazing Grace"

Thank you Sylvia and Thank you all for sharing this wonderful day ... May God bless us all.. Lynne

Additional note from Lynne: "We had 14 at Breakfast and that was a lively time...The Mt. Morris TIMES was there for a photo and story."

Lynne, Priscilla and Marion at the breakfast meeting last Friday.

Priscilla, Jean and Salley with Nancy and Sylvia. "In spite of the solemn occasion to follow, much merry hearted laughter prevailed at this early hour breakfast." Photo and comments from Lynne

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am a member of this Class of 1957. We have had several occasions this year to get togeter. I have been lucky to attend all of them, but the dedication to our tree was just something very special to me. Lynne's poem was beautiful & well written. To name all the deceased members by name brought back wonderful memories for all of us. I am happy to be a member of this wonderful class. I hope Norma keeps this site up & running. We all enjoy it so much.

Norma said...

Thank you for your support. There are 2 requirements for a blog (I tell people who want to blog). 1) You must like to write, 2) you must have something to write about. I have other blogs, and I write a lot. For this blog, I need OTHER people who have something to say, specifically memories and photos of interest to other class members. I've exhausted my cache. Lynne and Nancy have been extremely helpful and have participated. Surely someone else can scan a photo or send a memory? That's what would keep the blog going. I won't take it down (nothing ever seems to die on the internet), but gracious, someone must have some material!

Fish-2 said...

Like you our class had a student for one year (senior). He came to our 50th reunion then passed away within the next 6 months. He was an orphan and had attended 9 schools in 12 years. He said our class was the only one that made him feel he belonged.

Norma said...

Our reunion committee has always gone to great lengths to find class members no matter how many years they attended the MM school system. Your story is very touching, something that people with roots may not think about.

Norma said...

Lynne reports that "Copies of the tree dedication and newspaper clipping have been forwarded to Klaus Dreyer's widow in Germany by Nancy S."