By Judith Roberts
More than 100 members of the Louisiana Tech community gathered for a unique memorial service for Valentine’s Day – to mourn the loss of a wooden bench.
“I think it was important to me to memorialize this bench because of its significance to so many people on campus,” said architecture assistant professor Kaden Beilman. “It was a beautifully worn-in bench, under one of the most lovely trees on campus, in a perfect location to watch the activities of the quad from the perimeter. I think we see benches being used less and less now-a-days, partly because of our society’s resistance to slowing down, but mostly because somewhere along the line we just forgot how to properly place a bench. This bench hit all the marks: under shade, on the perimeter of activity, protected from being snuck up on from behind, perfect materials, removed from the walking path.”
Organized by Beilman, the memorial began with a procession from Hale Hall to the small triangular plot of land the bench once sat, in front of Wyly Tower, accompanied by music chosen for the event. Beilman gave a short eulogy emphasizing the importance of the bench and its impact on the lives of those on campus.
There was a moment of silence, which actually turned into a moment of singing along with Charlie Puth’s “See You Again” as it played on the speaker. Afterwards, attendees placed flowers, left notes and exchanged stories about the bench before heading their separate ways.
“I like sitting down on benches. I wanted to memorialize this bench to encourage others to consider how much value a good bench can bring to our lives,” Beilman said. “Seeing over 100 people gather in the bitter cold gives me confidence I’m not the only one who feels their impact.
“I think the bench being removed got such a reaction, particularly from the Architecture and Interior Design departments, because it’s classically been used as a break spot for the first-year architecture and interior design students, who have their studio on the 13th floor of Wyly Tower. A lot of students had memories attached to the bench from their first year of school.”
Beilman announced the memorial on his Instagram, and posters requested attendees wear black to the event as well. He gave remarks about the bench, stating that those gathered were not only to mourn but in deep gratitude.
“Under the shade of a magnificent tree, this bench was our quiet refuge,” Beilman said. “It witnessed our study sessions, our conversations, our moments of waiting and our silent observations of the world passing by
“As we stand here united, you might wonder: Where is the family? To whom do we offer our condolences?”
He then answered that everyone in attendance was the bench’s family.
“The whole thing was about the bench,” said Lex Buchanan, a freshman architecture major. “It was purely about the bench and how it will be missed. It was a beautiful speech.”
Buchanan was one of the attendees and said the bench had been a stable source of ease for students and faculty.
“It was just a staple by that tree; a bunch of people who worked in Wyly sat and took breaks there,” Buchanan said. “I’ve found it a few times just to collect my thoughts, and it was a comfy bench. And it was nice, facing towards the Quad and underneath the tree. It was a relaxing spot to be, and we just miss it. I immediately noticed when it wasn’t there.”
As far as the future – Beilman said he has hope.
Administrators confirmed that a new bench is coming — one that will honor Frank Barber, former groundskeeper at Louisiana Tech who passed away in 2024.
“I can say there is a future for the site,” Beilman said, “one which I believe will make a great impact.”
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