From the Bresler family’s first days with Jim and Lorraine Bresler, and on through the generations to their seven children, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, the family has been full of love for many decades. With as many as 40 people in the extended family, they laugh that there are almost too many to fit into one picture. And it all started when Jim and Lorraine married on Saturday, August 8, 1953.

“He was my first real boyfriend,” she said, while remembering about them going on car rides and to the movies together. It was a love that lasted and grew stronger, through the highs and lows of raising seven children.

There were good times, like the New Year’s Eve parties – “We had so many people in our home the floors shook,” she said. And there were hard times, when money was so tight they had to choose between food and medicine, with Jim taking odd jobs to buy groceries. Through it all, the family’s love kept them together.

Planting a Beech-Family Tree for the Family’s Love Story

To memorialize their family’s love story for years to come, the Bresler family sponsored a pair of oak trees as part of Beech Acres’ Plant a Beech-Family Tree program, in partnership with Taking Root, the non-profit dedicated to protecting the local tree canopy. Beech Acres launched the program in 2024 to mark its 175th Anniversary of helping children and families in the area. The oaks and other species are perfect for commemorating new babies, engagements, birthdays, anniversaries, or any special family occasion.

Lauren Enda, Lorraine’s daughter, explained the family’s choice to collaborate with Beech Acres and Taking Root. “These organizations mirror the generational impact our parents had—sustaining life, growth and connection well beyond their immediate circle. The two oaks we planted will stand tall for centuries, nourishing and sheltering life long after those who knew our parents are gone.”

“The partnership between Beech Acres and Taking Root is a celebration of the connectedness between strong trees and strong families,” added Lauren, who also serves on the Taking Root board. “Taking Root protects and plants trees for future generations, while Beech Acres nurtures and supports strong families through guidance and resources. That’s why my family chose to honor our parents’ legacy in this way.”

Love and Strength in a Big Family

Lauren remembers the dynamic of growing up as one of many branches on a growing family tree. And just as Beech Acres brings a strength-based approach to parenting, Lauren recalls how character strengths grew in her family.

“Because Mom and Dad were so busy at work and trying to provide for seven kids, we were all very resilient and strong,” Lauren said. “They may not have talked about how to make their children self-resilient, but they helped by instilling strengths in us, each in a different way.”

And now Lorraine is passing the love on to the rest of her family.

“We have a family meal every Tuesday we call the lunch bunch. It’s our weekly family reunion and I always look forward to it.

“I’m so thankful every day for this family.”

More information is available here about the Beech-Family Tree program from Beech Acres and Taking Root.