Local florist creates floral tributes to Compertore for Butler Trump rally
Corey Compertore, the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department fireman who was killed by a sniper’s bullet while shielding his family members at the July 13 Trump rally at the Farm Show grounds, was feted for his bravery in many ways at the second rally on Saturday, Oct. 5, including with special floral arrangements.
“I had the extreme honor of doing all his flowers,” said Michele Craig, who has arranged flowers at The Butler Florist for 21 of her 40 years in the business
Craig said two people from Trump’s team came to the shop on East Wayne Street early in the week to order five pieces to commemorate Compertore.
The first item they ordered was a 24-inch wreath mounted on a 60-inch easel. The circular wreath was covered in white hydrangeas and white, yellow and red roses, the colors of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department.
On Thursday, they ordered five more pieces.
A photo of Compertore was added to the center of the large wreath, which was placed on the stage at Saturday’s rally.
The remaining floral pieces, which also were designed and arranged by Craig, were placed around Compertore’s turnout jacket and helmet from the fire department. That tribute display was placed in the exact spot where Compertore sat in the bleachers behind the podium.
“It was a very overwhelming day for me yesterday, to do all these pieces,” Craig said on Saturday morning. “I did all his funeral work too. That was like a 12-hour day for me that day, and yesterday was an all-day project. What an honor.”
In addition to her main goal of creating beautiful pieces to honor Compertore, Craig admitted it entered her mind that national and international media were at Saturday’s rally.
“There’s going to be a lot of people seeing it,” she said. “I take lot of pride in what I do, and this was a big honor.”
Craig said the people who ordered the flowers made it clear they wanted standout pieces, especially regarding the wreath.
“They said this has to be almost center- of-attention, was the phrase they used,” she said. “I like to think they got that.”
Craig said the pieces were delivered to the Farm Show grounds by Art Rauschenberger, a deliveryman for The Butler Florist.
“He was at the rally the last time, so there was nobody else who I wanted to take this (to the Farm Show grounds),” she said.
While Craig said she puts her heart into every arrangement she creates, whether large or small, the impact of creating the pieces for Compertore’s memorial at the rally was staggering.
“I was very proud to send everything out of the store knowing that my hands touched it,” she said.
