Port Washington Memorial Tree remembers loved ones

Aproject that was started in 2021 has Port Washington looking more festive every year. Light Up Main Street was started by Jacquie Price, who also manages a private Facebook page by the same name for the initiative.

“It was after my lung transplant, and I was just feeling like I needed to give back to the community,” Price said. She wanted to find a way to cheer people up and brighten the town.

Light Up Main Street decided to fundraise to complete the project.

“All of those lights on our poles were purchased with funds that were donated in memory of or in honor of loved ones,” Price said.

Pat and Don Herbert and Heather and Jay Cochran donated the tree for the square of Port Washington in memory of Tim Gram. Pat Herbert is the former wife of Tim Gram, and Heather Cochran is his daughter.

Jennifer Malterer of Port Washington, daughter of Tim Gram, made the ornaments for the tree and included a name on each ornament. Those who donated toward a pole light decoration also received an ornament.

“Every year the family comes out and they decorate the tree. It’s actually quite nice,” Price said.

This year a new Santa was added to the square decorations in memory of Jill Dichler. It was donated by her family.

Price has already heard from people that are going to donate more lights to increase the light display next year.

“Christmas is hard for people who have lost loved ones, and we’re just trying to bring more joy to them,” Price said.

In 2021 when the project started, the country was just coming out of COVID.

“COVID was hard. Everybody was isolated. People were alone and lost loved ones. It was just very, very tough,” Price said.

Light Up Main Street works with the Village of Port Washington and some volunteers to get the project started and hang the lights each year.

“They’ve been great. The town made signs and put them on each pole so the people that donated know which light was donated in their loved one’s memory,” Price said. “It’s nice. You can actually walk from pole to pole and see who they were donated in memory of.”

Donors were able to pick the pole they wanted to put a light on if it was available. A daughter donated two angels in memory of her parents and a stillborn grandson that were placed near where the couple once lived. The daughter currently lives near the spot.

“She said her angels are looking over them. Every year they wait for these angels to go up, and it just brings some comfort,” Price said.

Other memorial lights are placed near where a couple once ran a store, and another was placed near where a couple ran a gas station.

“There’re these staple families of this town that were here for generations, and they go way back. My family was transplanted here in 1977, so I don’t have the roots of that, but those families that were here long before me are represented, and it’s really cool,” Price said.

The people honored on the tree are James, Karla and Jaxson Thomas; Nate and Leslie Penrod and children; the Robert and Virginia Thornton family; and Countryside Baptist Church.

Those who have ornaments in memory of their lives are Tim Gram; Jack Starcher; Jim and Betty Bates; Scott and Vonda Campbell; Judy Darr; David Dingus; Nathan Wright; James P. Foraker; Bob and Maggie Steinbach; George and Laura Fillman; Donald L. Swinderman; Jim, Audrey and Lori Goettge; John Tedrow; John and Maryann Hursey; Tony and Ruth Nigro; Edie Ellis; Don, Pat and Mike McCune; Doc and Hattie Gossett; Dale Lawrence; Tim, Eugene and Kathleen Heston; John, Lucille and Greg Meek; Bob and Luella Jones; baby Trevon Glauser; Wayne and Betty Stephen; Bob and Ruth Martin; Eugene and Margaret Welsch; Terry Lawver; Jack, Opal and Carol Fillman; Randy Maple; George and Jan Thomas; Jill Dichler; Noah Rolli; Eric Morris; Granny Stull; and Angel Callahan.

Ornaments are being made for Lisa Seevers, Tim Swihart and Larry “Cooter” Dietz.

More ornaments will be available for the next holiday season.

“I’ve had so many requests this year to add more ornaments to the tree. It came late in the season, and I wasn’t prepared for it. So next year we’re going to open it up in October,” Price said. “We’re going to have a different ornament every year, and people can continue to add new ornaments to the tree.”