by Patty Wetterling
St. Joseph
Huge thank you’s to all who showed up on a rainy Wednesday (June 25) for the dedication of the memorial monument to honor Jacob (Wetterling) in Klinefelter Park.
In October 1999, 10 years after Jacob was abducted, Steve Dehler, our state representative and former mayor, worked with a landscaper to plant 10 trees. Four of the trees were planted at the four cardinal directions surrounding the rock, honoring the community coming together and searching north, south, east and west to find Jacob.
The boulder in the middle was selected by some middle-school children who chose it because it reminded them of a beanbag chair. No marker was placed at the time. We are grateful to the City of St. Joseph and its Park Board Director Rhonda Juell, to her amazing employees and to Sunburst Memorials’ Michelich Granite for helping us create and place the memorial monument.
Our family has found that site to be a reflective, calming place. We commit ourselves to live by the 11 attributes that so clearly describe Jacob. We believe if we all tried to do this and taught our kids to do this, we would build a better, safer world.
Our dear friend said he too could almost feel Jacob’s presence there, reminding us of the amazing spirit of community we are blessed with in St. Joseph.
We visit this park regularly and are so grateful to all who work to maintain its beautiful walking path, gathering place, children’s playground and nature preserve.
Our hearts are full. Thank you St. Joseph!
