Kenny's Tree

Don't be ashamed to weep; 

'tis right to grieve. 

Tears are only water, 

and flowers, trees, and fruit cannot grow without water. 

But there must be sunlight also. 

A wounded heart will heal in time, 

and when it does, 

the memory and love of our lost ones is sealed inside to comfort us.
― Brian Jacques, Taggerung 

Kenny's tree - it's a Live Oak.

We gathered today in the park to plant a tree in Kenny's memory. Someone donated the tree and someone donated a new bench nearby.

Family came. City fathers and mothers came. Some from the neighborhood came stood witness.

Kenny's cousin shared some words - "Kenny loved God, and people, and the City of Belton." Even when Kenny moved away for a bit, he would call and say he was coming back - coming back home.

We will remember Kenny. Our neighborhood is safer now, but at what a cost. We will think of him whenever we see his tree and whenever we see someone walking nearby...someone who smiles and waves...to us and everyone else...someone who loves people.

A memory stone was placed at the foot of the tree.*

City workers were in the park early today - digging.

It took some doing - wrestling that tree.

Job well done. Thanks!

NOTES:

* George Kenneth Ferrell, of Belton, Texas died Friday, September 14^th, 2018 in Belton.

Born in Salado, Texas, January 9, 1943 to Pierce and Edith (Buford) Ferrell, Kenneth’s family moved to Belton when he was in middle school.  He began working part time through the DE program while attending Belton High school.  It was there that his teacher, Ed Franklin, challenged his class of students to smile and greet every person they walked past while on the job.  Kenny followed that advice and it set the course for his life.

After High School Kenny assisted the Belton High School Marching Band by chaperoning them on their trips to Florida. He loved telling stories about their many adventures.

Kenny had many jobs which included working at HEB, Minimax, Schoepfs, The Medicine Shoppe, Mr. Gatti’s, and a host of others.  In the last few years, Kenny hand printed business cards, passing them out to many friends and acquaintances in order to have small jobs to keep him busy. He loved people, animals, working, and traveling.

Kenny took trips to Hawaii, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana and the Bahamas.

Kenny moved to San Marcos and South Carolina for a brief time, but soon returned to his beloved Belton where he was most at home among his family, friends and the community he loved.  To Kenny, everyone was a person who needed a smile and a greeting.  “How are you today?” he would ask everyone he passed.  He once stated, “Smiling and speaking to all people is a way of showing love to them.”.

He was a member of Wildwood Baptist Church.

He is survived by his sister, Eleanor Louise Bell of Dallas; cousins, Wesley Ferrell, Dianne Ferrell, Cheryl Grimm, and Sylva Gidley; Friends Caleb Evans, his wife Lisa and their daughter Joanna.