A peaceful park in Flower Mound has been chosen for the site of a memorial park bench for a much loved and missed 20-year-old Flower Mound man who was murdered last year.
Tyler Cale is honored and remembered with a park bench on the north side of Rheudasil Park, where his aunt, Tonya Shrum, and mother, Angela Cromwell, said Tyler and his friends loved hanging out.
A 21-year-old man was arrested in Tyler’s shooting death which occurred in Ft. Worth last May. In the past 10 months, Tyler’s family and friends have mourned his death and have also set plans in motion to memorialize his life.
Shrum said the family contacted the town of Flower Mound to arrange for the park bench with Tyler’s picture on it to be set up on the north side of Rheudasil Park. Fundraising efforts by family and friends have paid off, and Shrum says the bench is exactly what they expected and more.
“We just really want to make that whole area his,” she said, relating plans to plant crepe myrtles and concentrate on landscaping to beautify the area surrounding the park bench. “Our family has completed all the necessary paperwork to adopt that area.”
A picture of Tyler has been etched on the park bench along with the following message:
Broken are the hearts that love you,
Silent are the tears that fall,
Living in this world without you
Is the hardest part of all.
The site was selected, according to Shrum, because it was a favorite of Tyler and his friends.
“The north side of Rheudasil Park was a very special place for Tyler and his friends. A place to fish, hang out and just enjoy the outdoors. This will be a place to visit and reflect on all the great memories Tyler left in the hearts of many friends and family. Tyler loved his friends and always wanted to make them laugh. He had such a big heart. He will truly be missed by all who were ever given the special chance to know him,” she said.
At the time of Tyler’s death, the family asked for donations to the Tyler LaRoy Cale Fund in lieu of flowers, and money that was contributed went toward the purchase of the bench.
Contributions are still needed as the family plans to maintain, landscape and beautify that spot for years to come. Those who would like to memorialize Tyler and help beautify the north side of Rheudasil Park can still make contributions for the ongoing upkeep. Memorials may be sent to the Tyler Cale Memorial Fund, c/o Wells Fargo Bank, Attn: Karen Eurich, 2301 Justin Road, Flower Mound, TX 75028, (972) 874-1411. The family also welcomes anyone who would like to physically help with landscaping and maintaining the area in Tyler’s honor.
For more information on getting involved in the beautification project, you can e-mail Tonya Shrum at [email protected].
Shrum says “the project wouldn’t have been possible without the sincere help from Tony Nielson, Flower Mound Park Development Manager. We just can’t thank Tony enough for all his assistance.” Also, the family would like to thank Eric D. Hiller with the Flower Mound based company Paul E. Allen Co. Inc., the manufacturer of the park bench, and DuMor, who created the custom plaque for the park bench.
On March 28th, family and friends gathered at the bench to remember Tyler, a young man that many say loved his mother, Angela Cromwell, and brother, Derek, more than anything in the world and was also known for wanting to make everyone happy. A life taken too soon but a memory left in the heart of many.
.jpg)
