Remembering a life lived and lost--with the help of a more than 200-year-old tree

Kesley Shuros was born in 1986 as a typical healthy baby girl to parents Warren and Lois Shuros.  But as Kesley grew up, she started having health issues.  At the age of 17, she was diagnosed as having Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis, commonly called "Batten Disease."  The disease often takes the lives of its sufferers--usually in their late teens or twenties.  In Kesley's case, she died at the age of 28.

Kesley's life led the Shuroses to raise funds for research into Batten disease.  It also led the couple to spend time near Highlandville, on 40 acres of property that had belonged to Warren's family, property they purchased in 1999.

30 acres of the 40 are in woodland.  Warren and Lois would walk the woodland hills, renewing Warren's love of the Bear Creek watershed.  It was on one of those walks that they discovered a huge tree towering over a nearby stream--an oak tree they came to call "the buffalo head oak."

After Kesley's death, Warren's thoughts returned to that tree.  "We've always marveled at it," he told decorahnews.com.  The tree is more than 13 feet around and has very interesting bark and burls.  But most of all, it is at least 200 years old.  Warren says he marvels "at something that's lived that long."

This year, a tree expert told Warren that the tree was dying--and Warren knew he wanted to have the tree cut down so he could use it as part of some of his woodworking projects, explaining "I want to do something to honor it."

In November, a crew is scheduled to come and cut down the tree and haul it back to Warren and Lois' cabin.  There, in his woodworking shop, Warren plans to turn the wood into "some cool things," as he puts it.

The "cool things" will be put up for sale--and all of the proceeds will be donated to Batten Disease research or to one of two funds they have set up through the Winneshiek County Community Foundation, the North and South Bear Creek Watershed Endowment Funds.

For more information about Warren Shuros' planned woodworking projects, text him at (612) 616-7407.