This week we all ventured to Merck Forest to see firsthand — for the first time — a bench installed in memory of our parents Robert and Susan. Located at Merck Forest and Farmland Center in Rupert, Vermont, the granite bench sits overlooking Page Pond near the farm’s barn, sap house, and horse shed. Simple, strong, and a bit rugged, the bench is graced by this simple inscription:

Sitting on this beautifully-designed bench overlooking Merck’s farm was awe-inspiring for us. It’s so humbling that this tribute to our parents will be located in perpetuity in a place they loved so dearly.

We are deeply grateful to our great family friend Dave, who conceived of the bench memorial and found a local craftsperson — John Hikory — to make it a reality. We are also thankful that the staff and trustees of Merck Forest — most prominently Communications Coordinator Marybeth Leu and Executive Director Tom Ward — felt that this memorial fit well with Merck’s important mission to demonstrate the benefits of innovative, sustainable management of forest and farmland.