Trees dedicated at Storrs library in remembrance of community members

May 13, 2022 | Sarah Heinonen
sheinonen@thereminder.com

Larry Chaz tied a ribbon around the tulip magnolia tree dedicated to his friend Lane Ziff.
Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen

LONGMEADOW – The Richard Salter Storrs Library remembered two residents with trees dedicated in their honor on May 3.

Two trees, a tulip magnolia – also known as yellow poplar – and an American sweetgum, were planted on the lawn in front of the library and Storrs House Museum, respectively. These were planted in honor of Lane Ziff, a longtime librarian at the Storrs Library who died in 2021.

Library Director Jean Maziarz remembered Ziff as the “quintessential librarian,” who was dedicated to researching the answers to patrons’ questions and the history of the town.

David Marinelli, chair of the Tree Committee, told those gathered a little about each tree. He shared that the tulip magnolia is the largest North American flowering tree, producing yellow blooms, while the slow-growing sweetgum would provide “wonderful fall color.”
Ziff’s friends Larry Chaz and Stephan Platzer tied yellow ribbons around the trees to honor Ziff, while his family was watching by video teleconference.

The third tree to be dedicated was a bequest from Sara Omartian, a retired teacher who also died last year. She had asked that a gingko tree be planted in memory of a student of hers, Philip Maichael Lauro, who had died in 1986. Omartian and Lauro’s families were on hand for the dedication.

Lauro’s mother, Elyse Lauro, shared the significance of the gingko tree. “All the leaves fall at the same time, leaving none to grieve the others,” she said. Marinelli said there are gingko leaves in the fossil record going back 200 million years. He said it delivers the message to, “have hope for the future.”

Maziarz said some trees on the grounds had been lost over the past several years and the dedication of the young trees was a “meaningful way” to replace them.

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