Three trees planted to honor, remember Clark trio
Jodi Guthrie, left, wife of Bobby Guthrie, who passed away recently following an accident, joins family members who help place dirt around the tree that honored her husband.
Holmes County 4-H groups have invested plenty of time, energy and passion into service projects that are designed to promote values and purpose into young people’s lives.
Perhaps none are more meaningful than the event put forth by the Doughty Valley 4-H Club members on Saturday, Sept. 23 at Clark Community Center, where not one, not two but three trees were planted around the walking path to honor and remember a trio of area citizens who recently passed away.
Doughty Valley 4-H members spearheaded the effort to plant trees to honor John Conkle, who passed away at the age of 100, Bobby Guthrie and Jerry Fraelich.
A nice portion of the community gathered along the east side of the walking path where three trees were planted. One by one family members filled in the dirt surrounding the trees, and following that, family members spoke glowingly of the three men.
Conkle was a lifelong member of the Clark community and reached a milestone at 100 that few people ever realize. He was married for 72 years and a member of the Gideons for 75 years.
Charity Richert, granddaughter of Conkle, said creating these types of memories to honor her grandfather and all three men means much to family members and friends.
“Grandpa was a very big part of the community here,” Richert said. “People will remember him as a strong Christian family man, and that is a legacy he has passed along through his family.”
She said this event means a great deal to the family and said keeping Conkle’s memory alive through this tree-planting ceremony will allow them to keep his legacy and memory alive.
Jodi Guthrie, Guthrie’s wife, said people remember her husband being a man who would go out of his way to help anyone and everyone in need of something. She said when someone called in need of something, her husband was right there to provide what he could.
She too said this event was an honor for the family.
“People here are amazing,” she said. “Everyone here is like family. When they called me and told me they were doing this, I was really touched.”
Nicole Dials, daughter of Fraelich, said of the event, “It’s a great thing to plant this tree and be able to come to the track and remember good times. He would be honored. He lived in Clark his whole life, and I think people would remember him as a jolly man. He always had a smile on his face.”
She said the family will always cherish this tree and will try to gather around it often.
After the respective families shoveled dirt around each of their trees, the entire group attending the service gathered together and shared stories and gratitude toward the tree men.
Peg Fraelich, wife of Jerry, shared a story, not about her father, but about Conkle, who was a good friend of the family.
She said when Jerry got sick, they weren’t able to attend church. However, she said Conkle never stopped being a connection between their family and the church, even despite ailing himself.
“He kept telling us that if he could get Carol (his wife) to bring me down, I want to see you,” Fraelich said. “John was very faithful about going out and getting people to come to church and letting us remember that we all need God. I have a special place in my heart for him and what he did for my family.”
In an emotional moment, Jodi Guthrie said her husband would work from dusk until dawn, if not for himself, then for others in the community. Guthrie passed away recently in a work accident, and she said he passed away doing what he loved.
She also said one thing he really liked supporting was the effort of the local 4-H groups, something Troyer said they always appreciated.
“This is so important and valuable for these young people to experience,” said Marcia Troyer, Doughty Valley 4-H advisor. “These young people need to be aware of the people in their communities and the lives they lived and how these people have helped them in many ways.”
Troyer said it was important for the young people to experience the way community comes together to support one another and recognize how much these people were loved and respected by others.
With all three passing away recently, Troyer said the families experiencing this type of compassion and support from others in the community helps them through these times of struggles, knowing they have the love and support of many.
She said Doughty Valley 4-H has always been heavily involved in the community in many ways, and these types of activities will only strengthen the young people’s commitment to the Clark area.
“It’s about creating ways to share joy with one another,” Troyer said. “We really work hard, and the people here are the glue that holds us together.”