Couple leaves legacy through Christmas tree

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- A husband and wife who donated countless hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars to the South Dakota city of Sioux Falls have left another lasting memory: a massive evergreen adorned with Christmas lights.

This marks the 20th year that the 60-foot evergreen on Minnesota Avenue has been decorated as a symbol of Christmas for Sioux Falls residents and visitors.

The tradition began in 1992. While driving, Dale Weir asked his wife, Dorothy, what she wanted for Christmas. She pointed to the tall tree outside her car and said she wanted it -- lit and decorated.

So Dale obliged. He found out who owned the land, bought it and decorated the tree.

Dorothy and Dale Weir died in 2003 and 2010, respectively, but a local church keeps the tree-decorating tradition alive.