Tree Planting Honors Late Morristown Mayor Jay DeLaney

MORRISTOWN, NJ — The Morristown Rotary Club paid tribute to the late Jay DeLaney over the Memorial Day holiday weekend at Lidgerwood Park.

The club held a music festival on Sunday, May 28, at Lidgerwood Park, 30 Erskine Drive, in Morristown, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. During the festival, members of the club planted a red maple tree at Lidgerwood Park in his memory.

DeLaney, a Republican who held the office of mayor from 1998 to 2006, died in November of esophageal cancer.

DeLaney spent a lot of time serving the community, holding positions on the Morristown Planning Board from 1988 to 1990, the Morristown Town Council from 1990 to 1993, and other civic organizations.

Mayor Dougherty addressed DeLaney's death in a Facebook video to the public.

The Morristown Rotary Club, which was founded on May 1, 1922, has donated countless volunteer hours to community projects, including raising funds for 50,000 meals for seniors and others in need during the pandemic.

Last year, the Morristown Rotarians gifted the town a $90,000 pavilion at Lidgerwood Park.

"We've donated this beautiful tree in memory of Jay DeLaney, who was one of Morristown's very finest mayors. It's going to shade our beautiful pavilion for 100 years to come," Morristown Rotary President Donna Orr said.

The pavilion highlights six "areas of service" to which the Morristown Rotary Club contributes and develops projects: culture, education, health, hunger, veterans and youth.

DeLaney’s wife, Debra Gottsleben, attended the event and received a certificate in memory of the dedication.

"Jay gave us gorgeous weather. Jay so loved this park, he loved the work that Rotary did. I remember him coming home and telling me about various projects, so to have a tree planted here in Jay's memory and honor is just something that is so wonderful," Gottsleben said.