A Tradition of Love: The Memorial Tree at Memorial Park Continues to Grow

McCOOK, Neb. — In a quiet corner of Memorial Park Cemetery stands a large pine tree that, every December, becomes something extraordinary. What began more than two decades ago as one family’s gesture of love has grown into a community-wide tradition of remembrance, healing, and connection.

A Tradition Rooted in Love

Twenty-three years ago, Nancy and Jerry Renard hung a single ornament on the pine tree in honor of their son, Greg, who passed away on December 29, 2000. With the blessing of the city, the Renards returned each year — sometimes alone, sometimes with family, always with love.

Over time, others began to notice the ornaments glimmering in the winter sun. Some asked about the tree. Some quietly left an ornament of their own. And slowly, what began as one family’s tribute became a shared symbol of hope for many.

Nancy still remembers the moment her granddaughter recognized Greg’s ornament on the tree.

“It makes me feel good that even at such a young age, she knows who Greg is,” Nancy said last year. “His memory lives on.”

Friendship in Grief

Several years ago, a group of McCook friends — Barbie Long, Pat Weskamp, Karey Graves, Kim Frew Peters, and Loretta Hauxwell — began gathering at the tree themselves. Each of them had lost a mother, father, spouse, or other close family member. Together, they found comfort in decorating the tree as a small circle of support.

Their tradition appears in posts as far back as 2018 and has carried on steadily each December.

They hang ornaments, take photos, share memories, and remind each other that even as life moves forward, love does not fade.

“This is not a journey I ever wanted to be on,” Pat wrote last year, “but I am so lucky to have these friends to be on it with me.”

From Personal Ritual to Community Invitation

This year, Barbie Long has taken an extra step by creating a public Facebook event titled “Memorial Tree Ornament Service.”

The goal is simple:

To welcome anyone grieving a loved one — whether the loss was recent or decades ago — to bring an ornament and take part.

“Everyone is welcome,” Barbie wrote. “Please share the event.”

The invitation has already resonated with many in the community.

What to Expect

For those considering attending or participating:

• Bring an ornament in honor of your loved one.

  (Many use inexpensive or weather-safe ornaments.)

• You are welcome to write a name, include a photo, or keep it simple.

• The gathering is casual and supportive — a moment to remember, reflect, and connect.

• Ornaments are typically removed shortly after New Year’s Day.

  
  

  Many families take theirs home, while Nancy and Jerry Renard gather the remaining ones and save some to place again the following year.

A Tree That Holds Many Stories

Walk by the tree in December, and you’ll find everything from angels and snowflakes to handmade keepsakes, initials, and symbols that carry personal meaning.

Each ornament represents a story — a mother missed dearly, a father who made the holidays bright, a son or daughter gone too soon, a beloved spouse whose love continues, siblings, grandparents, and friends who shaped our lives.

And together, they create something beautiful.

A Community of Memory

The Memorial Tree is not owned by any single family or group — it’s a living, evolving gesture of remembrance that now spans generations.

Some come quietly on their own.

Some come with lifelong friends who understand their grief.

Some come because they’ve heard about Nancy and Jerry’s tradition.

Others arrive because a friend invited them or because they simply stumbled across the tree and felt moved to join.

However people arrive, they are welcome.

As one participant shared, “Whether you lost someone hours, days, weeks, months, or years ago… we never forget the love we have for them.”

Event Details

Memorial Tree Ornament Service

📅 Saturday, 3–4 p.m.

📍 Memorial Park Cemetery, West J Street

🎄 Everyone is welcome. Bring an ornament in memory of your loved one.