“JERRY’S TREE” … On December 18, 2020, a Memorial Tree was dedicated to the late Mayor Jerry Matheny. The evergreen stands in front of the Wauseon Municipal building and now has a plaque which states, “Jerry’s Tree…in Memory of Jerry Matheny…Mayor 1992-2003…Most Influential in Wauseon’s Tree City USA status.” Present for the dedication were, from left to right, Larry Frey, Rick Frey, Kim Bowles, Mark Matheny, Sandy Matheny, Tom Collins, Jim Spiess, Laura Kamp, Deb Gleckler, and Keith Torbet. (PHOTOS PROVIDED BY WAUSEON TREE COMISSION)
By: Rebecca Miller
Ever since 1992, the Tree Commission in Wauseon, Ohio has been a group of people dedicated to the care and replenishment of trees in the city. Mayor Jerry Matheny got the commission started as it was one of the criteria for being able to apply for Tree City USA status, according to Rick Frey who has been on the commission ever since it was started.
“It was something he wanted and he took the initiative to get it started and always stayed involved,” Frey said about Matheny. Other criteria were that the city have an Arbor Day Celebration and spend a certain amount of money on the planting and care of trees.
Frey said in a phone interview that the city was already well over the amount of spending required, so the newly formed tree commission got an Arbor Day Celebration started.
At the celebration they would plant a tree at the Elementary school for the first graders, sing a song and do a tree proclamation. Later on they started planting one with the middle schoolers as well and of course they handed out seedlings which the Soil and Water Conservation has always provided for them.
Frey pointed out that as the seniors graduate, they get to see how tall the tree grew that was planted and dedicated when they were in the first grade, as a little plaque is put by each tree with the date it was planted listed on it.
Matheny not only got the Tree Commission started, but was always very supportive. Frey recalled that the mayor always went to the Arbor Day Programs, and stuck up for the Tree Commission whenever they ran into concerns about getting things done.
When Frey suggested that Wauseon dedicate a tree to Mayor Jerry Matheny, Mayor Kathy Huner and everyone on the Tree Commission liked the idea. The City has a Memorial Tree Program and decided that they would combine the dedication of a tree to Mayor Matheny with the dedication of “The Oklahoma Tree” for 2020.
Jerry’s Tree was easy to choose as he loved to have the evergreen in front of the Wauseon Municipal Building decorated and some people over the years had already begun to call it “Jerry’s Tree.”
On December 18, 2020, a plaque was put in front of that tree in memory of Mayor Jerry Matheny, with gratefulness for all he did to further the care of trees in Wauseon.
The “Oklahoma Tree,” was transplanted to the front yard of Wauseon High School on December 11, 2020, and is dedicated to Jim Spiess who was the Chairman of the Tree Commission for many years and was instrumental in getting the seedling in September of 2017.
“OKLAHOMA TREE” … From left to right at the dedication of this tree, which was also done in honor of Jim Spiess, are Pete Carr, Tom Collins, Kim Bowles, Jim Spiess, Larry Frey, Keith Leatherman, and Laura Kamp.
It is called the “Oklahoma Tree” because it was part of a tree that was “riddled from the explosion during the Oklahoma City bombing” and survived. When Spiess was at a Tree City USA meeting in April of 2017, they shared about that tree and he came home desirous of getting a memorial tree seedling from it.
Kim Bowls was on the tree commission also and was active in the purchase of the Oklahoma Tree seedling. The forester in Ohio gave Bowls the name and info for the Oklahoma forester, whom Bowls then called and was able to get a seedling, for which they only had to pay shipping.
It was shipped on August 31, 2017. Since then it has been growing behind the public works building of the city of Wauseon.
Both trees now have Memorial Plaques which were placed in front of them during their dedication ceremonies on December 18, 2020.
The Tree Commission members are very proud and pleased to have had this opportunity, and the support of Mayor Huner and the City Council, to remember these two very special gentlemen of Wauseon, as well as honor those whose lives were lost in the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995.
Take a moment to pause and read the plaque for “Jerry’s Tree” next time you stop in to pay a bill at the Municipal Building and to spend a Memorial minute at the “Oklahoma Tree” on your way in to a sports event at Wauseon High School.
Rebecca can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com
