Milton Gebhard‘s 2009 obituary didn’t reveal much about the man or his life—only that he was 89 and a retired carpenter, and he once lived in Austin. His birth certificate, found online, shows that he was born Milton Hugo Henry Gebhard, son of Bruno and Hedwig Renter Gebhard of Round Top, Texas.

His Brentwood neighbors remember him well. One young neighbor who couldn’t pronounce Gebhard’s last name nicknamed him Pee Pop. His driveway was a hub of activity. It’s where children played, where he held occasional domino games, and where he sat everyday and befriended anyone who walked by.

The Freng and Samuelson families were among Pee Pop’s neighbors. The two families also took part in the Friends of Brentwood Park’s tree planting event on November 6, 2010. They contributed to and helped plant a pecan tree in Pee Pop’s memory. One hundred and fifteen trees were planted in the park that day. Fifteen of them were dedicated in honor or in memory of someone special.

When we interviewed Elizabeth Freng at the tree planting, here’s what she had to say about Pee Pop:

Janice Samuelson made a tile for Pee Pop (below) that is now part of the mosaic Wall of Welcome, but she didn’t tell him she was doing it. He was concerned when he found out she had put his address on the tile. “Now everyone will know where I live!” Janice responded, “Pee Pop, everyone already knows where you live!” “We had a chuckle about it, and that was the end of that,” she said later.

In remembering Pee Pop, Janice says, “He was a dear man and quite independent for a long time. Having older neighbors and connections between different generations made our street really rich . . . everyone just outside being neighbors.”

The mosaic wall and Friends of Brentwood Park are two community projects that have helped keep the bond between past, present, and future strong in our neighborhood.

On Saturday, November 5, from 9 a.m. to noon, Friends of Brentwood Park will hold its next general workday in the park. It’s a great way to visit with neighbors (or meet new ones), help nurture our neighborhood green space, and enjoy our very welcome cooler weather.

For more information, visit the Friends of Brentwood Park website here.

Thanks to Elizabeth Freng and Janice Samuelson for sharing memories of their very special neighbor Milton “Pee Pop” Gebhard.