An unusual funeral took place on Arbor Day at Laurel Hill in Bala Cynwyd, where the majestic English yew tree, a beloved Pennsylvania state champion, was laid to rest, writes Siafa Lewis for CBS News Philadelphia.
Often called the tree of the dead, yew trees are frequently found in cemetery landscapes. The state champion had been in place for as long as anyone could remember.
“Through the years, it witnessed grief and remembrance,” said Lower Merion Township commissioner Louis Rossman. “Quiet visits in every season and slow, sacred passing of time.”
For generations, the tree stood as a quiet presence for grieving families saying goodbye to loved ones, and on Arbor Day, it was honored in the same spirit.
“Because this is Arbor Day, not only are we going to say so long to our English yew, but we are going to plant a scion of the dawn redwood, the national champ,” said Laurel Hill president and CEO Nancy Goldenberg.
While Laurel Hill is home to a cemetery, it also functions as an arboretum with trails and open green space, celebrating life as much as it does remembrance.
Read more about the champion tree from Bala Cynwyd’s Laurel Hill Cemetery in CBS News Philadelphia.
