NEW FRANKLIN, Ohio — Jeff Withrow has lived in the same house on Center Road, near Grove Road, in New Franklin, for decades.
“It's such a wonderful community, and I never want to leave,” Withrow said.
When a 60-foot maple tree in his front yard threatened his house, it had to be cut down. That happened in 2018, but Withrow didn’t want it completely removed.
“I left it at a certain height, because I knew what I wanted to do after they both got out of the service.”
Withrow’s two children, Michelle and Shane, enlisted in the U.S. Military after graduating from Norton High School.
“She decides she's joining the Navy, and it shocked me. I didn’t realize that’s what she wanted to do,” Withrow said. “Three years later my son decided to join the Air Force. And I can't be more proud of them two.”
Withrow said he often worried about their safety.
“She wasn't just stationed in the United States. She was traveling a lot,” Withrow said. “And my son, he was in Nellis Air Force Base, and he went on deployment and that's always scary where he went- to Abu Dhabi.”
In 2023, Withrow began carving the old maple tree with his son and daughter home from their service. He said neighbors didn’t quite know what he was up to.
“They thought I was gonna make an eagle or something because it looked like two wings and a nose,” Withrow said.
It took Withrow about three months to carve what he was after— a peace sign.
“And I'm not a tree carver at all… chain saw and a grinder that's all it is,” Withrow said.
The creases on the monument’s fingers are fashioned after those on Withrow’s hand.
“Everybody wants peace no matte what,” Withrow said. “If you see someone across the street or someone across the story- they show you a peace sign, you automatically smile. It’s a great symbol.”
Withrow said a friend refers to it as the symbol of New Franklin— now known as The New Franklin Peace Monument.
“I wanna dedicate it to my son and my daughter and to all military who served our great country. And not only that, the first responders. God bless you all for being with us and helping us and keeping us safe,” Withrow said.
The monument also included a flagpole with the American and U.S. Air Force flags. Lights illuminate it at night.
“This means a lot to me,” Withrow said.
He’s had many people he knows and strangers stop by to get a glimpse. Some even take a picture with the peace sign.
“You got people beeping you know, waving and really liking it,” Withrow said. “You're always welcome to pull right next to this tree, take a picture, and pull out. Peace to all. Peace to all.”
