This is an incredible sports story. The Auburn Coach then Athletic Director, Pat Dye, passed away and was laid to rest. Now, I know what your thinking… This is a sad story about how a legened dies and here are his funeral services and blah, blah, blah. It’s where he was buried and what he was buried under is what is so cool!

He was laid to rest Tuesday evening on his farm, underneath the tree, but that tree is really significant tho. It was a trimming from the Toomer’s Corner Oak Tree, that Dye sought out after the university tried to save the tree after it was poisoned by an Alabama Fan in 2010. The Oaks would slowly die and would have to be replaced in 2013. They would be replaced again after the Oaks were set on fire after a Auburn beat Louisiana State in 2016. Dye took what he salvaged back to his farm, planted and nurtured it into a 15 foot tree on his farm.

A Picture of the OG Toomers Oak after a freeze.

Even cooler, Dye is buried in a white shroud instead of a casket. Jimmy Rane, A longtime Auburn Booster and friend of Dye, said that Dye wanted to be buried this way instead of a casket to “fertilize this tree and for my spirit to hover around this tree.” There will be public service for people to pay respects, once all the details get hammered out, it will be announced at a later date. Here is also an example of a “white shroud” style of burial:

A white shroud casket

I think Pat Dye should be honored for his commitment to this Tradition. Respect the tradition enough to take a piece of dying tree, Rehabilitate it, get buried underneath it and fertilize the tradition so that it lives on way after he left. So cool! T’s and P’s for Pat Dye’s Family and the Auburn Tiger Family this afteroon.

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