Historic English yew tree honored with funeral in Pennsylvania cemetery

A funeral was held at Laurel Hill in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, on Friday, which is quite the norm at the famous cemetery, but what made this one memorable is that the service was held for a tree.

Laurel Hill president and ceo Nancy Goldenberg recited Joyce Kilmer's famous poem about trees to begin the ceremony.

"I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree," Goldenberg said.

It was a farewell to the majestic English yew tree, which became the Pennsylvania state champion for its species in 2019 and stood there for as long as anyone can remember.

"Through the years, it witnessed grief and remembrance. Quiet visits in every season and slow, sacred passing of time," Lower Merion Township commissioner Louis Rossman said.

Yew trees are known as the tree of the dead and guardians of the underworld, which is why you'll find them in so many cemeteries. They're also beautiful, however, and in times of death, remind us of life.

"We do services and burials for deaths all the time, but we're not just a barren landscape," Laurel Hill Arboretum director Aaron Greenberg said. "We have these trees and gardens and grounds to celebrate life as well."

This tree stood the test of time, welcoming and comforting generations of grieving families as they bid their loved ones goodbye. Today, we've witnessed the same for it while also looking ahead to the future.

"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," Goldenberg said.

Laurel Hill houses a cemetery, but is also an arboretum. It has trails and open green space, and in that way, very much celebrates the living.

"I would encourage people to come to Laurel Hill. We are an arboretum, and they will see several beautiful, big and state champion trees here, and if you've never been here? Come, and you'll come back. I guarantee it," Goldenberg said.

Laurel Hill plans to repurpose parts of the dead tree. The trunk of the yew will be left in place and turned into a bench sculpted by a local artist, while the wood will be cured and used in the future to create champion yew products.

A reminder of what came before as you sit and look at what is yet to come.