Donald C. Willeke plants the catalpa tree dedicated in his honor on Dean Parkway.
(Image: Mark Mahon)
Cedar-Isles-Dean resident Donald C. Willeke was honored by friends, family and neighbors with a bench and tree dedication on Dean Parkway on Sunday, Oct. 4, celebrating more than five decades of commitment to Minneapolis’ urban tree canopy.
Willeke co-founded Tree Trust, helped establish The American Chestnut Foundation and served as the first chair of Minnesota’s Urban Forest Council. He has also served as the mayor’s appointee to the Minneapolis Tree Advisory Commission, bringing his knowledge and persistence to the stewardship of our city’s trees.
“ He plants trees for the benefit of future generations.”
More than 60 people gathered for the dedication, with remarks by Council Member Elizabeth Shaffer and former Council Member Lisa Goodman. Both reflected on Willeke’s influence on their personal and professional lives.
His contributions are especially visible along Dean Parkway, where trees he helped establish enrich the neighborhood. Several have remarkable pedigrees tracing back to Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Francis Bacon and Thomas Jefferson.
Addressing the gathering, Willeke reminded everyone that trees need care to grow and thrive, adding that “our democracy is like this.” His words invited those present to reflect on what they, too, will nurture and leave for future generations, a thought expressed in the Latin inscription he chose for his bench: “Serit arbores, quae alteri saeculo prosint,” or “He plants trees for the benefit of future generations.”
“ The bench sits on Dean Green, north of 28th Street, facing Willeke’s home.”
The bench sits on Dean Green, north of 28th Street, facing Willeke’s home. Fittingly, he can see it from his dining and living rooms, a tribute to a lifetime of care for the trees and community around him.
Brett D. Schumacher lives in Cedar-Isles-Dean.
