Lindenhurst Village honored fallen soldiers in various military branches on Memorial Day by rededicating a newly renovated World War I memorial on Wellwood Avenue in the heart of Lindenhurst Village. But some residents were also mourning fallen branches of a different kind.

The Village removed the 25-foot Holiday tree as part of the refurbishment of the memorial dubbed "Monument Mall."

"That Christmas tree has been there forever," said Brenda Balazs, 26, a sales associate at Music and Arts, a business across the street from the memorial. "People come in here ranting and raving saying, 'I can't believe they took down the Christmas tree!'"

But according to Village officials, the tree was on its last limbs.

"The tree was falling down," said Lindenhurst Village Mayor Thomas Brennan. "This winter, for the Holiday, we had to add branches to make it look full."

The Holiday tree was replaced by another tree of the same species. A Linden tree was also replaced. (The Linden tree has deep roots in this Village, a tree that is the town's namesake.)

In addition to replacing the two trees, the Village redesigned the memorial with new bricks and lighting, relocated the flagpole and added a water sprinkling system. The monument refurbishment cost $150,000, and New York State Assemblyman Robert Sweeney secured $100,000 for the project. The Village kicked in $50,000.

Most people were pleased with the update of the Veterans' Memorial, which was erected in 1919, and originally called the Soldiers' Memorial. "It was getting old … it was getting to be time to change it," said Carol Tanner, a resident and former Village Trustee. "My dad's name - Conrad Friedrich -- is on the monument. He was an infantryman gassed during battle. He was proud to serve his country, and I was very proud of him." Although he was a sickly man, he lived to be 62.

"It is a fitting tribute to veterans that needed an update," said Sweeney. "I was pleased to get them some funding. In celebrating Memorial Day, it is important to remember our soldiers. If you look at that plaque, there are a lot of Lindenhurst people who served in WWI, and a lot did not come back."