Tree dedicated to longtime Montoursville public servant
Bev Stroble offers a prayer during the Arbor Day and tree dedication service at the Montoursville Volunteer Fire Department April 28, 2023. A Colorado Blue Spruce was dedicated by the Montoursville Garden Club during an Arbor Day service at the fire department. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Nancy Jones, sister of Faye Konkle, tells the crowd gathered for the Arbor Day and tree dedication service at the Montoursville Volunteer Fire Department April 28, 2023. A Colorado Blue Spruce was dedicated by the Montoursville Garden Club in memory of Jones’ sister during an Arbor Day service at the fire department. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
The tree honoring the memory of Faye Konkle stands next to the Montoursville Volunteer Fire Department as a steady rain falls April 28, 2023. The tree that was dedicated by the Montoursville Garden Club during an Arbor Day service at the fire department. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Bev Stroble offers a prayer during the Arbor Day and tree dedication service at the Montoursville Volunteer Fire Department April 28, 2023. A Colorado Blue Spruce was dedicated by the Montoursville Garden Club during an Arbor Day service at the fire department. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Nancy Jones, sister of Faye Konkle, tells the crowd gathered for the Arbor Day and tree dedication service at the Montoursville Volunteer Fire Department April 28, 2023. A Colorado Blue Spruce was dedicated by the Montoursville Garden Club in memory of Jones’ sister during an Arbor Day service at the fire department. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
The tree honoring the memory of Faye Konkle stands next to the Montoursville Volunteer Fire Department as a steady rain falls April 28, 2023. The tree that was dedicated by the Montoursville Garden Club during an Arbor Day service at the fire department. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
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A Colorado Blue Spruce was planted in the garden of Willing Hand Hose Co. in Montoursville before Arbor Day on Friday in memory of the late Faye Konkle.
The forecast was foreboding, and the tree was planted ahead of the rain showers that arrived, but spirits of those gathered for the Arbor Day ceremony inside of the fire station were far from dampened.
In a packed meeting room, the Montoursville Garden Club dedicated the planting to Konkle for her many contributions to the Borough of Montoursville, her church and her family.
Friend and club member Judy DeGregorio led one of the cermony's highlights -- the presentation of a plaque given by the Montoursville Garden Club to honor Faye Konkle and her late husband, Donald. A similar spruce tree was planted last Arbor Day in Don's memory.
The plaque will be situated between the couple's trees planted in their memory and honor.
Guest speaker Nancy Jones, Konkle's sister, offered several touching anecdotal remarks about her sibling.
From early childhood growing up on a farm, helping lead the family at age 8 and 9, while her father took a second job and mom handled milking cows and other chores, to later encountering her future husband, who bought her "Evening in Paris" perfume and brought ice cream for her sister, Faye would dedicate her life to raising a family, helping her neighbors and serving others.
Faye served many years on the ladies' auxiliary of the former Pennsdale Fire Co. During those years, she would volunteer at the annual carnival, and in that time before emergency scanners, the volunteers received the emergency calls, turned on the siren and wrote on the board where the fire was for the firefighters to respond, Jones said.
When Faye and her husband moved to Montoursville in 1971, she became employed at an insurance company, but also trained to be an emergency medical technician and ran calls on the ambulance for 10 years.
Her many mission trips with her church included volunteering with her late husband to help the community members suffering from the results of natural disasters such as floods in Lycoming County. She frequently donated blood during blood drives held by the American Red Cross.
As a member of her church choir, Faye volunteered to wash, dry and press all of the choirs' robes.
The Blue Spruce is a hearty species that can withstand minus-40-degree weather, and it can have a life span of several hundred years.
As for the Arbor Day Proclamation, Mayor Steve Bagwell had the honor while Sue Chestnut reminded those gathered of Arbor Day history, which began in Nebraska.
Arbor Day was officially proclaimed in 1874 by Nebraska's Governor, Robert W. Furnas, and the day was observed on April 10 that year. In 1885, Arbor Day was named a legal state holiday in Nebraska.
Many other states also passed legislation to observe Arbor Day each year. By 1920, more than 45 states and territories were celebrating Arbor Day.
Today, Arbor Day is celebrated in all 50 states. The most common date for the state observance is the last Friday in April.
This beautiful and inspirational day is a reminder of the value of planting trees and a chance to do so in memory of loved ones gone but never forgotten.
Trees add value to the ecosystem and improve daily life by adding beauty, providing habitat for nature, shade from the sun, and oxygen to breathe.
The committee members care regularly for the plant and tree life in their community. They include: Chestnut, Louise Courtney, DeGregorio, Linda Holland, Wendy Marshalek, Stroble and Lucille Devore.
The local ceremony featured many spirited statements, including a welcome by Courtney, a prayer by Stroble, a brief history of why the day is celebrated by Chestnut, a description of the tree selection by Barbara Gallagher, reading of a poem by Marshalek and a closing song "God Bless America" led by Bonnie Seltzer.