In a heartfelt nod to a life well-lived, Meadows West Park was recently the canvas for an affectionate community tribute to nonagenarian Sonya Stenzler, celebrating her 90 years with a vibrant collection of hand-painted rocks arranged around a park bench dedicated to her legacy. Last year, for Stenzler’s 89th, her daughter initiated this legacy through the Fort Worth Park & Recreation Department’s Memorial Park Bench Program, and this year, the gesture blossomed into a communal art project that caught fire on social media, pulling in painted rocks from family, friends, and even local children at PARD community centers, as reported by City of Fort Worth.
Stenzler, whose bench sits quietly on the path she used to traverse with her late husband, was surprised by the burgeoning display of affection, an act her daughter described wanting Sonya to enjoy the bench while she’s still here and after experiencing a delay, finally making it happen to honor her mother’s meaningful impact on their lives, according to City of Fort Worth.
Dave Lewis, Park & Recreation Director, celebrated the outpouring of support, highlighting that “This display of love is what makes Fort Worth special,” and pointing out how Stenzler’s story and the park bench celebration underscore the tight-knit social fabric that wraps around the community. The bench, as a gift from last year, now symbolizes not just a resting place, but the collective memory and respect held for a woman whose life’s adventures and pursuits range from international travels to the joy of everyday park walks with her dog, Aggie…