Farnsworth Family Proposes Stone Memorial in Buckley Park

Geoffrey Farnsworth's family has proposed a large stone seating circle in Buckley Park as a memorial to the late cross country coach and history teacher at Whitefish Bay Middle School.

The proposed circular stone seating wall, dubbed a "council ring," would be located about 75 feet north of the flagpole in the park. The proposed wall, standing 1 foot 6 inches tall and spanning 16 feet, 4 inches in diameter, would be constructed of limestone, with an inner floor made of flagstone and granular decomposed granite. A smaller stone seat measuring 3 feet in diameter would be positioned in the center of the ring.

The proposal includes a 10-inch by 12-inch bronze memorial plaque for Farnsworth, who lived in Whitefish Bay for 12 years with his wife Kelley and their three children. The Farnsworth family has proposed to pay the construction and maintenance costs for the structure, but it would be owned by the village.

Farnsworth died in July at the age of 40 after a battle with colon cancer.

Jeff Rainwater, a landscape architect working with the family on the project, said they chose the design of the ring to provide other seating options in addition to the existing benches. The structure could seat 12 to 14 people at a time.

"The ring promotes conversation and inclusiveness," he said.

The concept of a council ring was developed by Jens Jensen in the late 1800s, but was first evidenced with the council fires of Native Americans and fires of pioneers, said George Farnsworth, Geoff's father, in a letter to Village Manager Patrick DeGrave.

"In our view, Jensen's principle of providing a connecting point for beholders of nature at a key position in a landscape works very well in Buckley Park which is shy on such facility now," George Farnsworth stated. "The ring also works to connect people with each other."

The Whitefish Bay Village Board asked questions of Rainwater at its Monday night meeting, but trustees will not vote to authorize the construction until its next meeting on Feb. 20.

Robert Crawford, who has lived on Palisades Road across from the park for 19 years, said he has never seen any programmed sports activities in the park, but he said people also find enjoyment from playing Frisbee or lying on the grass in the green space.

“I do think there’s a value to having flat green space,” Crawford said.

This article was updated on Feb. 20 with a more accurate diameter of the proposed structure.