North Platte Tree Board held an Arbor Day celebration at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 8 at Cody Park, honoring three key people in North Platte who recently passed away.

Mary Hepburn, Frank Albertson and Wes Meyer were honored with memorial trees that were planted west of the swimming pool

North Platte Tree Board President Mary Shimmin conducted the ceremonies. Boy Scouts with Troop 293 presented the flag and led the Pledge of Allegiance. About 60 people attended.

Mayor Brandon Kelliher proclaimed May 8 as Arbor Day in North Platte and said it’s a great time to plant trees and shrubs.

McDaid Elementary student Avery Mosel, 10, read the poem “The Road Not Taken,” by Robert Frost, which begins, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.”

The city and Cody Park received tributes from the Nebraska State Arboretum during the celebration.

“Cody Park is one of my favorite places, with its truly incredible trees,” said Justin Everson of the Nebraska Forest Service. “It is the best arboretum site in the state.”

North Platte Parks Director was praised for “making the community brighter and greener.” Minshull said trees not only make a place more livable, but people tend to move somewhere with nice trees.

“They make people happier and healthier,” Minshull said. He said the city one had 21,300 trees along the streets and in the parks, according to a 1984 survey. Due to insect damage, storms and late freezes, the number dwindled to 5,500 in 2012, the year of the most recent survey. Minshull said afterwards that he intends to schedule another survey this year.

These trees were planted in tributes to: 

• Wes Meyer — Spring Flowering Crabapple; 
• Mary Hepburn — Greenspire Linden with yellow flowers in early summer; 
• Frank Albertson — Northern Red Oak, fast-growing, long-lived, red leaves in autumn, loved by squirrels and birds.

The honorees

Wesley Meyer, 1949-2025  — Wes was a lifelong resident of North Platte and post-graduation, he graduated from MPCC and took more classes at the University of Nebraska. In 1970, not long after getting a job with the North Platte Street Department, he married his sweetheart, Carol Muirhead. 

At first, he worked on crews painting lines on streets, servicing traffic light controls, etc.  By then, Wes had demonstrated his capability, intelligence and strong work ethic. He was then promoted to a supervisor of crews, carrying out the many duties of a streets department, including sanitation, snow removal, mowing parks and the cemetery, etc.  In 1981, Wes was promoted to the position of Public Service Director, a post he held until his retirement in 2018. 

This title put him in a high-level management position in the city, overseeing a wide range of services. He worked closely with other department heads and agencies to ensure that they were coordinated and that the needs of the city were met. A life-long learner, he often sought the opinions of others, but especially of his office and work staff, for which he was highly respected.

Mary Hepburn, 1950-2024 — After a storied career in education and journalism, Mary became a beloved fixture at the North Platte Telegraph. They were quick to hire her as a writer of a faith-oriented column for the weekly religion page. Even after a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, Mary never lost her passion for journalism or will to prosper. She taught and wrote in Canada for 10 years, as well as another 10 years in Washington, D.C. before moving to North Platte in 1996.

Mary’s columns were written in a “Down Home” style that appealed to many who may have thought an article was written just for them. Her words of wisdom made a person stop and think, and often wound up as “savers.” Her messages touched the hearts of so many and they probably wound up being displayed on the refrigerator, to be read over and over again. Mary’s insights into human nature made every column a “must” read.

Frank Albertson, 1938-2024 — Sometimes in life, an individual makes such an impression that you remember what knowing them meant to you. Frank taught English at NPHS for 20 years in the 1970s and 1980s. He was one of those people who made a big impact on everyone he met. This included his students and colleagues, his church friends and townspeople. His presence is felt throughout the community. Frank was always a faith-filled man, but just as treasured was his intelligence, candor, and wit.

He was the emcee for the Teacher’s Retirement Dinner, and his comedic style could “roast and/or toast” the retiring teachers. Many a belly laugh would accompany his keen and witty jokes. People relished his positive personality and “can do” attitude. Career-wise, Frank was known as an effective teacher, getting the points across to his students, as well as spreading the joy of learning. As an aside, teachers were only paid for the nine months of the school year. With a smooth and unmistakable voice, Frank landed a summer job as a disc jockey for a local radio station.

After years in North Platte, he and his wife, Ann, turned to missionary work in other countries. Back in the states, they taught at Christian schools in Illinois and Colorado. Frank and Ann loved the mountains and spending time with grandchildren, so a tree in his honor will remind many of the impactful life he lived.

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