Nancy Fisher and Cindy Hennessy still can't believe someone could outright steal the community's memorial Christmas tree.

It's known affectionately as "Ted's Tree" in honor of Nancy's late husband.

"My husband died three years ago and this was about the last thing that he bought,"said Nancy, fighting back tears.
 
The 7 to 8 foot tall lighted tree has stood proudly in the center of Colton's Memorial Gazebo for the past three years after Nancy donated it.

But sometime over the weekend, someone entered the gazebo and cut the strings holding up the tree and took it - lights and all.

"I was shocked because we call that our Memory Tree," said Colton resident Cindy Hennessy
 
Local officials had planned on keeping the tree lit throughout the Colton Winterfest activities that take place later this month - until it turned up missing.

All that's left is some tinsel, string and electrical cords.
 
While the tree's disappearance has not been reported to law enforcement, it's not known who or why someone decided to remove it from its spot.

It's the sentimental value of the tree and the disregard of property that makes this apparent crime so disturbing to many in the community.

Whether it was just a teenage prank, or something else, really makes no difference.

The hope is the person or people who took the Memory Tree will somehow see fit to return it.

Anyone with information on the tree's whereabouts is asked to call the town clerk's office at 262-2810.

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