Paul Nuhn & David Backus plant a Sugar Maple tree honoring David’s brother, Billy.

The May issue of Village Views reports that a new Commemorative Tree was recently planted at the Glencarlyn Branch Library Community Garden.

The new Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) replaces a Spruce which was blown down in a windstorm last June. The original tree was planted in 1966 in memory of Glencarlyn resident  Billy Backus, who died in May 1965 of leukemia. A Memorial Plaque was placed near the original tree’s trunk, but over the years it became overgrown and disappeared from view.

5 or 6 years ago, Community Garden co-coordinators Judy Funderburk and Paul Nuhn uncovered the plaque while trying to plant some azaleas. The plaque was cleaned up and recently given a place of honor in the Community Garden.

The spot where the new tree has been planted, on the Third Street side of the Library, has been renamed the Memorial Garden. The new tree could eventually grow to a height of 50 feet and will have brilliant red, orange and gold leaves in the fall.

You can read more about this story in the May 2011 issue of Glencarlyn Newsletter Village Views(pdf).