Ravenswood memorial trees honor loved ones

In loving memory: Christmas trees at Riverfront Park honor loved ones

RAVENSWOOD — Carla Dean's husband was a classic country boy. He loved to fish and hunt, he enjoyed being outdoors and he always took care of his family. 

His name was Glen Dean, and he passed away in 2019. Even though he isn't here, he's always around for Christmas thanks to the memorial trees at the Riverfront Park in Ravenswood. 

Shortly after Glen died, Carla approached Steve Bradley, a volunteer who runs the Christmas lights at the park, about having a tree in honor of Glen. He was thrilled by the idea. 

"He was a great man," Bradley said with admiration. 

Remembering Glen Dean 

Glen was an avid fisherman, hunter and lover of bluegrass music. He served in the U.S. Army in the 50s and cared deeply for his family. All of these attributes are recognized on his tree. 

A shiny gold buck ornament dangles from a branch on the tree. Besides the hunting and fishing ornaments, some were handpainted with a grandchild's name on them. Every tree is different, but Carla wanted Glen's tree to symbolize him and memories people may have of him.

This is the third year the Dean family has had a tree in honor of Glen — every year they have had to get a larger tree because there wasn't room for all of the decorations. They started out with a five-foot tree and now have a seven-footer.

While Glen's tree gets bigger every year, so does the number of people who participate. Every year, more memorial trees are added — this year there are 14. Bradley supplies a stake, some metal rebar and handles the electricity. All families have to do is bring and decorate their own tree in honor of their loved ones. 

Carla isn't the only one who decorates the tree. Their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends always contribute, even if they live out of state. 

His tree is wrapped in bright colorful lights and has plenty of red and green ornaments. He loved Christmas. As people drive by for the Christmas lights, they will see Glen's on the bank of the river wrapped in thick red and gold ribbon. Beside his tree is a plank that has his name in red and black plaid. 

Carla invested in a spotlight that illuminates the plank and tree. She wanted to make sure people could see it perfectly. She never wants Glen to be forgotten, that's why she said the tree has been crucial for her family's grieving.

"I think that was a way of everybody coming together again and remembering him," Carla said. "It's all very special."

When asked to describe her husband, Carla had one thing to say: he was a good person. Once he retired, he still remained engaged in the community. He would meet dear friends and old coworkers at Mcdonald's to keep in touch.

He cared about people and the community. Carla said he was always looking for ways to brighten up the town. Glen helped build the shelter to the left of the museum for people to enjoy. He loved the park. 

He and Carla used to bring lawn chairs down to the Riverfront Park on Sunday afternoons and admire the river. Friends who would walk by would often join them. They'd sit on the bank of the Ohio River for hours just chatting away. 

"He was just a good, good person and we just don't want his memory to ever die or be gone from here," she said. 

— Katelyn Waltemyer (she/her) is the General Assignment and Enterprise Reporter for Jackson Newspapers in Jackson County, West Virginia. Have a news tip on local government or education? Or a good feature? You can reach Katelyn at kwaltemyer@jacksonnewspapers.com. Follow her on Twitter @Kate_Waltemyer.