Sometimes we just have to tolerate our neighbors. It sounds as if the Kwiatkowskis have made some reasonable adjustments to the Memorial Garden out of respect for their neighbor's concern. The Village Board may wish to consider this when the matter comes to them.

I've driven past there many times over the past year and have never found it to look offensive. Friends who have lost children have planted trees and bushes in memory of them in their yards over the years. I don't see anything wrong with it and the recent work they've done sounds like it makes it look more like just a garden. If there's more to it, then maybe that's what needs to be dealt with instead of complaining about the garden.

McNulty's statements ooze intelligence. Zirbes' 30 year daughter was murdered, in another state mind you, almost 30 years ago. Sounds like a battle of the ages.

This is ridiculous... I'm very upset.

I think the garden looks nice.

if they want to see a public nuisance how about look at my neighbors behind me who face 4 mile rd and have 6 ft tall weeds creeping over there fence that is a public nuisance!

Very sad story to read about... Both families have suffered terrible loses, and everyone grieves differently. It sounds like Jonathan's family has tried to compromise. Let's just hope that the other family can do the same. I don't think putting this story on the Patch helps, but that's just my opinion.

"There appears to be a decidedly Christian view in the shrine."

This guy must be really busy filing complaints around Christmas!

There is absolutley nothing wrong with jonathan's family having this memorial in their yard. This neighbor needs to move on from their own tragedy...maybe they should be building a memorial!

I had to delete one comment because it didn't meet our terms of service. Please refrain from cursing.

Last I checked freedom of religion is one of our constitutional rights!!!

This whole situation isn't even about constitutional rights or village ordinances. It's about one unfortunate neighbor who lacks the reasonableness needed to be a decent person. The profanity-laced comment is an absolutely brilliant representation of oneself. I commend the victim's family for compromising with the issue, and I pray that the village meeting is FLOODED with supporters on Oct 11. Let the community at-large decide what a "public" nuisance is.

I'm going to make an educated guess here; given the merits of the neighbor's religious concerns...are they against garden angel figurines, half buried bath tubs with the Virgin Mary inside, or CHRISTmas decorations too? Horrible things have happened to both family's, the Kwiatowskis have made what sounds like fair & reasonable modifications, BUT overall...the complaining neighbors sound just plain self centered and selfish, in MY opinion. Now THAT'S a true PUBLIC NUISANCE!

The only possible basis for complaint (IMHO) is what is allowed in the Village right-of-way...but then they had better check every other impingement of all the right-of-ways in the Village and file complaints on them all. Fences? trees? fountains? ornaments?

Very well written Denise. I am shocked that someone would complain because of a memorial parents established for their child. Really? If it so much of a nuisance for them, why don't they move. If they suffered such tragedies you would think they would be more sympathetic!

First of all let me take a moment to say to Tim and Lori how sorry I am for your loss. It still breaks my heart that this had to even happen.

Next I want to say to Carolyn that I am sorry for the loss of your daughter. What a terrible tragedy.

That being said I thought we lived in America? Whatever happened to the freedoms that our forefathers fought so hard to achieve? Everyone in this country has the right to believe as they so choose and express themselves in their own way.

It seems that Johnathan's family is only trying to keep his memory alive and if that helps them heal or just gives them a little peace then leave them alone. Everyone has to grieve in their own way.

I just think that whether it's in the right of way or in their yard leave them alone. There are so many memorials out there today because it helps people remember the deceased. Sometimes they just remind us how fragile life is and we should all respect each others decisions and beliefs.

The Kwiatkowski's family has chosen to stay and face the hard reality by creating a beautiful modest memorial in THEIR OWN yard. The neighbors across the street are intimidated because it points out their choice not to stay and face reality back in Oregon. They ran away from their hardship and that memorial across the street is a reminder of their cowardice and lack of any meaningful kind of memorial for their own loss which is more than they can stomach. Why punish the Kwiatkowski's because they have strength and you don't. These people are a disgrace to their daughters memory. They need help.

I believe that Mr. McNulty should be ashamed of himself for attacking the Kwiatkowski's memorial...he states that it forces him to think about his own tragedy, so he doesn't have his loved one on his mind everyday? The memorial is on private property and the Kwiatkowski should be left alone. Mr. McNulty is a coward for not talking to his neighbor face to face. As for the Christian tone of the memorial, first I have to say that I am an Atheist, and secondly I have to say that it is the family's right to place tokens of their faith in the memorial. I would never attack a family because they chose to place something religious in front of their home...they didn't do it to hurt anyone. Mr. McNulty needs to mind his own business

They need to work this out in private. The Public should have no input on private family matters unless it is actually causing a problem for the majority of the local residents.

The neighbors should not be so selfish. Perhaps they're upset because it never occured to them to do the same for her daughter

My guess is the only reason why they filed a complaint to begin with had nothing to do with the garden (which is beautiful). It most likely has everything to do with seeing a cross from their front yard. Its a shame that they felt they had to compromise their beliefs and put the cross on the other side of the tree. Those who never accept Christ will always be the one to complain first. Those that do accept Him pray for others first.

That person needs to come to grips with the fact that we all have losses that are hard to bear and memories that are frequently triggered by innocuous things. If that little patch of flowers and rocks is painful, then how do they handle a cemetery? How do they handle the countless things that happen every day that remind us of a loved one is gone?

How people can be so completely selfish and narcissistic to their own issues and ignore the whole reason the garden is there in the first place I will never know however it IS what is wrong with this world today. These people lost a family member and that memorial garden is for them NOT THIS GUY and his roommate. It had nothing to do with them whatsoever. So what on EARTH gets into their head to make them think they have any right to demand it be taken down just because they are too narcissistic and too selfish and too self centered to realize THIS HAS NOTHING Whatsoever to do with them..... go figure the world doesn't revolve around you, nor is everything in it to praise or piss you off. Your just another person on the great big planet that this is, that thinks you are way more important than anyone else. sickening really.

Condolences to both neighbors, but this is so wrong in so many ways. Whoever heard of a tasteful little garden in the front yard of private property being contrary to ordinance or restriction anywhere, memorial or not? No one. The Cross enjoys even more protection, as would a Star of David, Star and Crescent, Buddha, or any other. The nuisance is anyone who would seek to deprive or even complain of someone else lawfully doing as they wish on their own property, and the fact that it honors a lost loved one just makes the complaint worse.

And here we go. There are memorials all over the place here. There is a windey road that spans around 1/4 mile........it's an S curve through a small mountain range and people have been rolling vehicles into the ditch/mountain forever. There has to be over a hundred markers out there, but that has nothing to do with this. The folks who suffer the loss have every right (in my little mind) to grieve forever and they own their property so no one has a say in what they do on it. They have bent over backwards for the whiney neighbors. Leave them alone.

The crybaby neighbors are lucky I don't live in the house on the other side. I thinking about a few old toilets as flower planters.

She needs to mind her business about what goes on in other people's yards. If she doesn't like it she can move.

One of the reasons I'm glad I dont live in an "Association" sub-division is because of neighbors like McNulty-Zirbes. They nit pick the smallest rule or ordinance to make everyone's life miserable.

These people who object on the garden, and their negative comments are once again absurd, yes certain people do have a repuation for being close minded,ugly hearted, and these people are them, because this is one story of many over the years like this, these people continue to hate upon, criticize, and create darkness all around them, well we don't need people like that around, life is hard enough just to survive, don't waste one moment of our precious time ,and if as a community, we will continue to do what ever we choose to comfort us, don't waste our time no more, and I suggest to those who hate spend your time getting help. Sincerely, tired of it!

this is ridiculous. leave the people alone! just because a memorial of their son is in their yard and it brings back memories of your own tragedy doesn't mean you call and complain. if you had put a memorial of your daughter in your yard i bet no one would say anything. these are ass hole neighbors!

So is this guy gonna file a complaint against every newspaper, news station, billboard company, bumper sticker company, magazine...the list is endless...when someone prints or does something that reminds him of something else. What about the one that printed THIS story...what a reminder...he will file a complaint against you. Sorry for his loss, but wish that I had that much free time on my hands!

...am I nuts because I took my beloved dog out to the desert where he loved to run, laid him out and still visit the area to this day? Someone must have a complaint about that. Out in the middle of the desert, but I may have annoyed a couple coyotes and kit foxes..............................................they are suing me. My dead dog reminded them of the litter of coyotes that drowned in the last flash flood. Give me a break! The neighbors really s**k!

Hey McNulty.............GET OVER IT!!!!!!

"Cookie Monster" I absolutely love your comment... "and let the public decide what a public nuisance is" you hit it right on the head!

I'm sorry they lost their daughter. I have four children and my heart breaks at just the thought of losing one of them. They've had over 20 years to mourn the loss of their daughter. This other family has had less than two years.
If I'm not mistake it's also on private property and when isn't a person allowed to plant a garden or have a name on a tree?
I'm wondering if this man feels guilty about not doing enough for his daughter when she died (not that he didn't do enough). It seems he has a lot of bitterness towards this family and I wonder why.

It's being reported that he withdrew his complaint. Must stink being the most-hated man in SE Wisconsin.

The couple complaining about the memorial have had a lot of years to deal with their grief - they need to let this couple have their memorial. The complainers can leave their shades drawn, choose to look at other things when out walking, etc - they don't need to dwell on the memorial and make things worse for grieving people.

I don't see how it matters what religion it does or does not endorse. It is on private property.

Just wanted to make sure everyone saw the update to this story.

I'm so glad they dropped the complaint! I wonder what it was that did it? Did they realize (with a lot of help from us!) that they were being selfish and inconsiderate? Or did they just get harassed into it? I don't think there is one person who thought they were right, they come across as bitter people. It's horrible about their own daughter, I have to feel for their turmoil as well as the Kwiatkowskis. No tragedy is ever forgotten, but one thing McNulty said is one that he should have applied to themselves......"They think they are the only ones who have suffered a tragedy.." Apparently, he thought he and his wife's tragedy is the only one that counts when he said that.

Mr. McNulty is so disingenuous, it makes me ill. He's trying to make it sound as if the change to the memorial is what made him change his mind. We know the truth and the truth is this article and the exposure on the evening news is the real reason. I hop to never hear from McNulty again.

Mr. McNulty is so disingenuous, it makes me ill. He's trying to make it sound as if the change to the memorial is what made him change his mind. We know the truth and the truth is this article and the exposure on the evening news is the real reason. I hope to never hear from Mr. McNulty again.

So memorials in the roadway for accident victims, memorials in neighborhoods where a drive-by shooting occurred, memorials on the World Trade Center, memorials in Oklahoma City, are all ok..... But this personal remembrance to their son is not.

Considering McNulty and his room mate were so emotionally affected by the memorial across the street, imagine them trying to go anywhere without experiencing emotional trauma.

Seems to be that the public display of a cross is the impetus for the complaint. Nice way to get the ball rolling for further erosion of freedom of religion.

The Kwiatkowski family setup a memorial fund in Jonathan’s name. The Jonathan Kwiatkowski memorial fund is offering university scholarships to individuals who want to make a difference in their communities, as Jonathan did. Applications are being accepted until October 31, 2012. See jkmemorialfund.org for more information.

McNulty is a petulant little jerk. Typical intolerance shown by an anti-Christian bigot who has a predictable, fundamental misunderstanding of the United States Constitution. He's also a wuss who wasn't man enough to confront Mr. Kwiatkowski regarding a setup on Mr. Kwiatwkoskie's PRIVATE PROPERTY, but instead took the low road and complained to the village board. Pathetic. This has nothing to do with "property values," which is nothing more than a red herring. It's all about McNulty and his "coexist" mentality, which means nothing more than tolerate everyone's faiths other than the one shared by 90% of this country. Screw you pal.

"Tim Kwiatkowski, Jonathan’s father, said he would have preferred to have a face-to-face discussion"

Can't say I blame McNulty for contacting the Village first. The last time a complaint was voiced to the Kwiatkowskis a death occurred.