A funeral for Berkeley, the Raleigh squirrel sculpture carved from a single tree
As “Dust in the Wind” played softly, mourners gathered Thursday to salute the short life of Berkeley, the Nash Square squirrel sculpture carved from a landmark oak tree — a symbol of steadfastness in stormy times.
For six years, Berkeley sat perched on a concrete pedestal opposite City Hall, chewing an oversized acorn in the shade.
His upturned ears and jaunty tail represented all that remained of a 90-foot willow oak that stood at the southern end of the park for more than a century, growing to be what many called the widest tree downtown.
That tree, aging and diseased, found new life in the squirrel carved by artist Corey Lancaster, and it persisted in rodent form through pandemic and protests until now, when termites and rot caught up and consumed its left eye and ear, along with a portion of the nut.
“This is a sad day for a lot of people,” said Adam Forman, Raleigh’s assistant director for parks, addressing a crowd dressed in woodland creature masks. “Obviously, Berkeley is silly, goofy, kitschy. ... The community wanted to preserve that grand tree and we responded to that community.”
Once removed from Nash Square, what remains of Berkeley will decompose in peace at the Marsh Creek greenhouse, returned to Earth’s care.
“Ashes to ashes,” said Forman, “dust to dust. Sapling to sculpture to mulch, eventually.”
As downtown crowds passed Berkeley’s funeral, they offered final tribute to his crumbling figure:
“The nut looks like he ate some of it,” said one passerby.
“So they’re not going to light him on fire,” asked another, “like a Viking funeral?”
And with that, out went Berkeley’s candle, which burned all the brighter for shining briefly.
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