A Grave Interest

A Closer Look at Prostitutes in the Cemetery

2012-03-02T05:30:00.000-06:00

Marchis ‘Women’s History Month’ and it seems an apt time to remember those women whowere shunned in life and forgotten in death – the prostitutes.

Jack the Ripper

18th Century Prostitutes

FallenWomen, Soiled Doves, Unfortunates,– prostitutes have carried hundreds of monikers throughout the ages. Always living on the B-side of life,they have been neglected, abused, even murdered for being too accessible, tooeasy – their trademark. And as in life, prostitutes have not fared any betterafter death.

Pauper's Cemetery

19th Century Society Outcast

Ostracizedby society and considered to be impure and immoral, most private and religiouscemeteries would not allow prostitutes to buried among the sanctified andmoral. Many times, publiccemeteries would agree to take them only to place them in paupers graves, unmarkedand unremembered.

InSingapore, during the close of the 19^th century, researchersestimate that close to one-thousand Japanese peasant girls, some as young as13, were tricked and sold into a life of prostitution, known as karayuki-san.They were taken to Singapore to service immigrant laborers working onplantations and in mines.

Japanese Cemetery Park

Prostitutes Graves

Thegirls died, many times at the hands of clients, or committed suicide due toabuse by their handlers, or because of the lose of money due to ageing. Theseprostitutes were buried at the Japanese Cemetery Park, land that was donated bybrothel owner Tagajiro Fukaki for destitute women.

View of cemetery

DuringWWII Japanese soldiers and civilians who were ill were also buried in theJapanese Cemetery Park. Over 900 graves are located there. Though most of theprostitutes’ remain nameless, it is said that all of their graves face the samedirection, away from their homeland of Japan.

Mohe Memorial

Mohe Entrance

InBeijing, China, Mohe Prostitutes Cemetery is the burial ground for Chinese,Japanese and Russian prostitutes. Most were buried without names on their markers, but epitaphsdo exist such as, “Here lie buried 12 Russian prostitutes.”

Bishop of Winchester

InEngland, Cross Bones Graveyard is another such place. During the 1500’s it was established as an unconsecratedgraveyard for “single women.” Women working this area were also known as Winchester Geese since they were licensed by the Bishop ofWinchester to work within this jurisdiction just outside of London.

John Stow

Theage of the graveyard is not known. John Stow first referred it to in 1598 inhis Survay of London where hewrote,

“Ihave heard of ancient men, of good credit, report that these single women wereforbidden the rites of the church, so long as they continued that sinful life,and were excluded from Christian burial, they werenot reconciled before their death. And therefore there was a plot of groundcalled the Single Woman's churchyard, appointed for them far from the parish church."

By1769, the Single Woman’s Churchyard had become a pauper’s cemetery.

In1853 the graveyard was closed because there was no more room for burials. It isbelieved that over 15,000 people were buried there. In 1883, the cemetery was sold for a building site but aftercomplaints were made, the sale was ruled null and void.

Cross Bones Graveyard

Decorated Gates

TheCross Bones Graveyard now has a plaque on the gates for “The Outcast Dead.” Alocal group, known as the Friends of Cross Bones, is currently working ongetting a permanent memorial garden in place. Every Halloween, they holdspecial events and processionals to remember those buried here. The gates of the cemetery are alwaysdecorated with messages, flowers and ribbons in remembrance to thoseunfortunates of the past.

Tending the Graves

Insome countries, and in some religions, prostitutes would establish their owncemeteries. There, others of thesame profession would tend the graves and mourn the dead, since no one elsefelt them worthy of such attention.

Itis not our place to judge them; we do not know how or why they led theselives. Even in the twenty firstcentury, the sex slave trade still exists. Thousands of nameless, faceless women continue to bebanished from society, living on the outskirts of humanity, to be exploited,abused; to die and be buried, forgotten, in unmarked graves.

~Joy

Ivy Covered Graves

2012-02-24T05:00:00.000-06:00

Cemeteriesabound with flowers, trees and plantings – all manner of living things withwhich to remember those who have passed. It is not unusual to come across a grave or two that is covered in ivy. In older cemeteries, especially Victorianand Rural Garden cemeteries, ivy was a perpetual favorite, blanketing manygraves, both carved in stone and living plants. It has been said, "Ivy still mourns when others haveforgotten the dead."

Ivysymbolizes many attributes. Amongthem are friendship, affection, faithfulness, strength, and immortality. The Celts viewed ivy as an omen ofdeath and spiritual rebirth. The Druids associated ivy with strength anddetermination. Ivy grows in twists and turns, providing a strong, durable bondto all that it touches. In the Christian religion, ivy is a symbol of Christmasand rebirth.

Theivy plant is native to Europe and grows naturally in cemeteries throughoutEngland. Although a pretty vine,ivy has a reputation of causing harm to gravestones, brick walls, andtrees.

Recentstudies conducted in Europe indicated that the climbing roots of the ivy didnot damage solidly mortared walls. Research also showed that ivy actually protected walls and cemeterystones from further damage caused by the effects of weathering, drastictemperature changes and pollution.

Inthe U.S., problems have proven to be more significant since ivy does not haveany natural enemies to control its growth. American trees are overwhelmed by ivy and die due to diseaseor aggressive ivy growth. WeAmericans transplanted ivy to our cemeteries during the Victorian age assymbols of immortality. In manycases the ivy has proven to be very durable by taking over tombstones andgraveyards.

Cemeteryrestoration groups will leave an ivy vine as part of the original planting, asthey work to maintain the status of the burial grounds and the tombstones. But cemeteries throughoutthe country have implemented management control procedures to deal with ivy andit’s potential damaging effects on monuments and stones. Many will no longer allow ivy to beplanted.

As intended by those who originally planted it, ivy lends a shot of color onto the otherwise dark and drab wintercemetery grounds, and gives us hope for renewal and immorality.

In1836, Charles Dickens wrote a poem that appeared in his novel PickwickPapers about the ivy:

IvyGreen

Oh,a dainty plant is the Ivy green, 

Thatcreepeth o'er ruins old! 

Ofright choice food are his meals, I ween, 

Inhis cell so lone and cold. 

Thewall must be crumbled, the stone decayed, 

Topleasure his dainty whim: 

Andthe mouldering dust that years have made 

Isa merry meal for him. 

Creepingwhere no life is seen, 

Arare old plant is the Ivy green.  

Fasthe stealeth on, though he wears no wings, 

Anda staunch old heart has he. 

Howclosely he twineth, how tight he clings 

Tohis friend the huge Oak Tree! 

Andslyly he traileth along the ground, 

Andhis leaves he gently waves, 

Ashe joyously hugs and crawleth round 

Therich mould of dead men's graves. 

Creepingwhere grim death hath been, 

Arare old plant is the Ivy green.  

Wholeages have fled and their works decayed, 

Andnations have scattered been; 

Butthe stout old Ivy shall never fade, 

Fromits hale and hearty green. 

Thebrave old plant, in its lonely days, 

Shallfatten upon the past: 

Forthe stateliest building man can raise 

Isthe Ivy's food at last. 

Creepingon where time has been, 

Arare old plant is the Ivy green.

~Charles Dickens

~ Joy

Undertaking Death

2012-02-17T05:30:00.000-06:00

Itis inevitable - we will all die. And for most of us a funeral or memorialservice will be held. But what is the advantage of this service? Why do we expect it, and continue to doit? Who really benefits from it?

FuneralRites

Funeralrites have always been a part of our civilization. All successful cultures have believed that the dead neededattended to in a proper manner. Burial grounds dating back to 60,000 BC showthat gifts were left next to the body and rituals were performed - byNeanderthal man.

Thereare three conditions that are always found when dealing of the dead:

1)Funeral rites, ceremonies or rituals are held

2)The dead are taken to a sacred place to be left

3)The dead are memorialized in some manner

Manydeath rites and ceremonies were based in fear. They were used to protect theliving from evil spirits that were associated with being in or near the deadbody.

Sacrificeswere offered after a death to appease these evil spirits, or to assist thedeceased into another world.

Today,many of our funeral customs are still based in pagan rituals.

For example:

Lightingcandles was originally a way to keep evil spirits at bay while dealing with thedead.

Coveringthe deceased’s face with a cloth was actually done to stop their spirit fromescape through the mouth, possibly stopping death from taking them.

Mourningclothes came about in order to fool returning spirits who might want to takeothers with them.

Wakeswere originally held to make sure that the person was dead and did not ‘wake’up.

Sendingflowers with the body was a way of gaining favor with the dead.

Funeralmusic began as ancient chants used to pacify the spirits.

Thetolling of bells began during medieval times as a way to warn evil spirits away.

Gatheringafter the funeral for food and fellowship began as a way to offer food to thegods or deceased for special favors.

WhyEmbalm?

Inancient times, embalming was done so that the soul would not leave thebody. It was believed that thesoul would stay as long as the body was intact. Embalming was also done forsanitary reasons.

Dr Thomas Holmes

InAmerica, embalming became accepted during the Civil War. President Lincoln wasinterested in a way to send soldiers home for interment. Dr. Thomas Holmes embalmed over4,000 soldiers and officers so that they could be returned to their familiesfor a proper burial. Once Holmes understood the potential of embalming, heresigned his commission and offered embalming to the public for $100.

Lenin

Inour modern world, embalming is used to disinfect the body. It is also a sanitary way to preservethe body for the visitation and funeral service. Embalming can also lend alife-like appearance to the deceased and improve the appearance of someone whohad a traumatic death.

TheFuneral Service

Ceremoniesand rites were originally held to placate the spirits. But for hundreds of years, funeralservices have been held to assist the living in expressing their grief, find supportthrough friends and family, and celebrate the deceased’s life.

Eachstep of the service is a part of the grieving process. Having the body presentduring a visitation assists the bereaved in recognizing the reality ofdeath. According to Dr. ErichLindemann, American author and psychiatrist, specializing in bereavement, “The moment oftruth comes when living persons confront the fact of death by looking at thebody. Grief is a feeling. If you deny it, you have difficulty coping with it,but if you face it, you start the process of healthful mourning!”

Thevisitation and funeral service also allows visitors an opportunity to rememberthe deceased and share those memories with others. It is a way to honor and celebrate the deceased’saccomplishments and life.

Thefinal step, the committal of the remains, helps the survivors acknowledge thatthey must now break with the past and move on into the future without theirloved one.

TheGrief Cycle

Adescription of the cycle of grief was first introduced in 1969 by ElizabethKubler-Ross, after studying more than 500 dying people. It consists of five stages that aperson goes through when dealing with death or tragedy.

1)Denial - Usually only a temporary defense.

2)Anger – A person realizes that they cannot continue with the denial and movesinto this phase where blaming and rage occur.

3)Bargaining – Trying to negotiate for more time.

4)Grieving/Depression – This is the stage where the certainity of death isunderstood.

5)Acceptance – The last stage where a person comes to terms with death ortragedy.

Thesestages are not necessarily felt in this order but everyone goes through atleast two of them. Women are more likely to experience all five. Results from the study indicated thatthose who felt they had found their purpose in life faced death with less fearthan those who had not.

SirWilliam Gladstone summed it up best, "

Show me the manner in which anation cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness thetender mercies of its people, their respect for the laws of the land, and theirloyalty to high ideals."

~ Joy

Cemetery Symbols of LOVE - A Valentine’s Day Remembrance

2012-02-10T05:30:00.000-06:00

Facing Eternity Together

Regardlessof what we might say, most of us are romantics at heart. And this is evident in thecemetery. In the Victorian era,certain symbols were used to convey true devotion, or a deep and abidinglove. Today, we don't really worry about using symbols, we just say what's in our hearts and on our minds.

VictorianSymbols of LOVE:

Theheart shape is the most well known symbol of love. Philosophers and Stoics thought that the heart was the seatof the soul and emotions. Even in religious teachings, the heart was believedto hold our spiritual or divine traits.

Claspedhands indicated a married couple, united after death. The hand that is shown holding the other indicates the person who died first, who is assisting their love into eternity.

Tworound columns joined by an arch on top represents the gateway to eternity. This is used for the graves of ahusband and wife, joined in death, as in life. Notice the bench? Falling down a bit, but still strong and sturdy….

CallaLilies are found on many older stones in the cemetery. These lilies symbolize marriage,purity, and resurrection.

Rosessignify true love, eternal love, and passion.

ModernDay Symbols of LOVE:

In today’s world, we state, and show, what’s on our minds and in our heartsvery plainly.

Epitaphsabound in the cemetery, but those that are loving tribute are the mostcommon. Sometimes a simple wordsays it all:

Beloved– someone who was dearly or much loved.

Manytimes a phrase sums up those feelings of love quite succinctly.

Some Where My Love

Wait for Me the Best is Yet To Be

God Gives Us Love,
Something to Love He Lends Us.

Together Throughout Eternity

Dear Morgan Thou HastLeft Me

In This World To WeepFor Thee

But With God's Will& His Good Pleasure

I Soon Will BE At RestWith Thee

Dear Husband, Can I E'reForget

Or Shall The GraveEternally Sever?

No, In My Memory YouStill Live Yet,

And In My Heart You WillLIve Forever.

Husband,

May We Pass Together
Through The Gates Ajar.

It Broke My Heart
To Lose You,
But You Didn't Go Away,
Part of Me Went With You
The Day God Called
You Home.

Althoughthis is difficult to see well, the sentiment is truly touching. I photographed this through the windowof a mausoleum. It is a writtentribute and photo to a wife, from her husband.

Weare beginning to include photos and etchings on stones,once again. Although this waspopular in the early to mid twentieth century, it fell out of favor until theturn of this century.

Another symbol of love - listing the marriage date.

And the one that seems to sum up those words of love the best:

There Abideth Faith, Hope, Love.
But the Greatest of These is Love!

Happy Valentine's Day!

~ Joy

Cemeteries Worth the Visit - Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky

2012-02-07T05:30:00.000-06:00

Map of Grounds

CaveHill Cemetery was chartered in 1845 by the Kentucky General Assembly. The cemetery was to be created from theland that belonged to the William Johnston Family called Cave Hill Farm. The name came about because of the246-feet cave located on the east bank of the main lake. The main interest inthis land was due to the stone quarries that existed on the property. The cemetery was dedicated on July 25,1848 with plans for the creation of a Rural Garden-style Cemetery.

Main Entrance

Cave Hill in the 1800's

Themain entrance is located on Baxter Avenue. Constructed in 1892, the Corinthian-style building boasts a2,000-pound bell in the clock tower. The second entrance is located on Grinstead Drive and was opened in1913.

Cave Hill Today

Springs Branch Lake

CaveHill is comprised of 296 acres of rolling hills, with winding paths and over400 varieties of trees and shrubs – also making it a national arboretum. The original Victorian RuralCemetery landscape was laid out by Edmund Lee and Benjamin Grove. Minor changes have been made over theyears, but the tranquil feel and scenic beauty still remain the focal point ofthe cemetery. The main lake thatruns through the cemetery is part of the Springs Branch of Beargrass Creek. The lake divides the early westernsection of the cemetery from the newer eastern section. Five other spring-fedlakes are scattered throughout the cemetery where over 120,000 are buried.

Last Supper Stained Glass Window in Mausoleum

A Family Mausoleum

The Ginkgo Mausoleum

CaveHill has many captivating mausoleums on the grounds. The cemetery also offers a hillside garden crypt known asthe Ginkgo Mausoleum. LakeviewMausoleums is located in the Victorian section of the cemetery. Family mausoleums are also offered.

Burial Plot Deed

Annual Care Plaque

SpecialCare is offered to those who own a lot and would like it planted orlandscaped. There are two types ofspecial care; annual care and endowed or preservation care. Annual Care isavailable for almost all lots in the cemetery. It involves the lot holderestablishing an account that pays for the annual care of flowerbeds, trees,shrubs, and other landscaping done on the lot. Monument cleaning and holiday wreath laying may also beincluded.

Admittance Certificate

Endowed Plaque

EndowedCare/Preservation Care is where an individual may establish fund is set up togenerate income during the year in order to pay for services in the followingyear. The interest earned on this endowment will pay the annual charge relatedto the services selected.

Colonel Harlan Sanders Grave

Grave of George R. Clark

Thereare many famous and notable people buried here including state officials andgovernors. George Rogers Clark,founder of Louisville and the person most responsible for opening the NorthwestTerritory to settlers is buried here, along with Colonel Harlan Sanders, theoriginator of KFC – Kentucky Fried Chicken. The Kentucky Giant, James Porter, is also buried in Cave Hill. He was billed as the world's tallest man, standing l7-feet, 7-inches in the mid 1800's. There are also numerous political figures here.

Cave Hill National Cemetery

CaveHill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The Cave Hill National Cemetery islocated in the northwest corner of the cemetery. The first burials, in 1861, were soldiers who died at localcamps and hospitals in Louisville.

Moving Bloedner's Stone
for Repairs

Stone for August Bloedner

Twelvemen of the 32^nd Indiana Infantry Regiment, commanded by BrigadierGeneral August Willis are also buried here. They were killed December 17, 1861in a fight with rebels at Rowlett Station in Kentucky, the first battle CivilWar in the state. Private AugustBloedner, a member of the unit, created a monument for the graves atMunfordville, Kentucky from limestone. In 2008, the National CemeteryAdministration started preservation efforts to save the limestonemonument. Only about 50% of it’soriginal inscription and carving survive due to pollution and theelements. Once preserved themonument will be placed at in appropriate facility for public viewing.

Over5,500 soldiers are buried here, most from the Civil War. Two hundred of those are Confederatesoldiers. A large plot exists forthe remains of unknown soldiers of the Civil War. A boulder with a plaque honoring them was put in place in1914. Cave Hill’s NationalCemetery was placed on the National Register in 1998.

CaveHill offers tours throughout the year. Historical walking tours are held during the spring and autumn, and twocivil war walking tours are offered during the year. Twilight driving tours are held once a month on Sundayevenings from May through October. And birding tours are held in May and September. Check their website for updated 2012dates. http://cavehillcemetery.com/gwalking.php

Cave Hill Quarry

And,yes, there is a cave at Cave Hill but it is off limits due to the treacherousconditions it presents.

CaveHill Cemetery is open every day from 8:00 A.M. to 4:45 P.M. The cemetery is located at 701 BaxterAvenue and has easy access from I-64. The phone number is (502) 451-5630.

The Cave Hill Cemetery Facebook page is at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cave-Hill-Cemetery/107643782598235

Andtheir web site is http://cavehillcemetery.com/

Cave Hill Cemetery

CaveHill Cemetery is worth an afternoon, even a weekend if you want to truly enjoythe landscape and atmosphere of this gorgeous cemetery.

~Joy

The Day the Music Died

2012-02-03T05:30:00.000-06:00

Tour Poster

The Big Bopper, Buddy Holly
and Ritchie Valens

Itwas fifty-three years ago today that a small-chartered plane crashed near ClearLake, Iowa killing all four on-board. Three of the men were the most promising stars of rock and roll, and thecrash has been called the greatest tragedy rock and roll ever suffered.

February2, 1959:

Tour Buses

1947 Beechcraft

Afterplaying all evening at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Buddy Holly, RitchieValens and J.P. Richardson, the Big Bopper, climbed aboard a 1947 four-seatBeechcraft Bonanza. Holly hadgrown tired of their tour bus’s lack of heat, (The heating system stoppedworking right after they started their tour through the Midwest,) and thecontinual breakdowns on the road. He and two other members paid $36 each to fly to the next tour stopMoorhead, Minnesota, 380 miles away. It was the eleventh night of the twenty-four-city Winter Dance Partytour. Piloting the plane wastwenty-one year old Roger Peterson.

Waylon Jennings

J. P. Richardson

Storieshave been passed down about the fateful group assembled to fly that night. Jiles P. Richardson, better known asThe Big Bopper, had come down with the flu. The last thing he wanted was to ride in a cold bus foralmost 400 miles, so he asked band member, Waylon Jennings, for his seat on theplane. Jennings agreed and went onto ride in the frigid bus with another band member Tommy Allsup.

Waylon and Buddy

Accordingto Jennings, since he was now taking the bus, Holly had jokingly said to him, "Well,I hope your ol' bus freezes up."Jennings had laughingly responded, "Well, I hope your ol' plane crashes". Waylon Jennings said he never forgot this exchange of banter, and thatit always haunted him.

Ritchie Valens

Jennings, Holly, Allsup

TommyAllsup was also supposed to be on the plane, but had flipped a coin withRitchie Valens for the seat – and ‘lost the toss.’

Air field tower

Night-time snow

Thesmall plane took off at 12:55 A.M. on February 3^rd in a light snowwith winds gusting up to 30 m.p.h. Ten minutes later, Pilot Peterson had not attempted to call in and filea flight plan. Plane owner, Hubert Dwyer became concerned. He requested that the tower attempt tocontact the Beechcraft. Despiterepeated attempts over the next several hours, no contact was everestablished. By 3:30 A.M. theplane was reported as missing.

Crash site

Thewreckage was discovered the next morning in a cornfield six miles from theairport. Authorities said theplane had banked slightly and then plowed into the ground at 170 mile perhour. The plane flipped andskidded another 570 feet before stopping against a fence. Only the pilot’s body was stillentangled in the wreckage. Hollyand Valens were thrown from the plane and found nearby. Richardson’s body flew across the fenceand landed in an adjacent field. The local coroner said that all four died instantly.

Cockpit of Beechcraft

Investigationsinto the crash revealed that it had resulted from poor weather conditions andpilot error resulting in spatial disorientation. Laterinvestigations found that the pilot was not certified to fly in that type ofweather, which would have required flying by instrument reference.

Jay Richardson
with his father's casket in 2007

Anotherinvestigation was held into the crash in 2007, ordered by the Big Bopper’s son,Jay Richardson. It was requestedin order to dispel rumors that a gun shot on board the plane had caused theaccident. Legend had it that J.P. Richardson had been alive after the crash, andattempted to crawl for help before dying in the field next to thewreckage. Autopsy reports forRichardson verified the original findings that he too, had died on impact andhad been thrown forty feet from the wreckage.

Don McLean

In1971, singer/songwriter Don McLean released his American Pie album. The song of the same name recounted hisremembrances of “The Day the Music Died," February 3, 1959 when Buddy Holly,Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper, J. P. Richardson were killed. When asked what the cryptic lyricsmeant, McLean once replied, "You will find many interpretations of mylyrics but none of them by me.... Sorry to leave you all on your own like thisbut long ago I realized that songwriters should make their statements and moveon, maintaining a dignified silence.” Many have speculated that McLean wascommenting on the radical changes that had occurred in society during the pastten years, the loss of innocence, from the time of Holly’s death to the latesixties.

Buddy Holly -

Buddy Holly

Holly in Concert

CharlesHardin “Buddy” Holly was 22 when he died. He has been described as the singlemost influential creative force in early rock and roll. Holly formed the band the Crickets in1956. He then left the group near the end of 1958 to begin his solo career. He wasbest known for the 1957 hit, That’ll Be the Day, and Peggy Sue in 1958. Holly hadjust married Maria Eleba Santiago in late 1958. She was pregnant at the time of the plane crash butmiscarried shortly after. Buddy Holly is buried in the City of Lubbock Cemeteryin Lubbock, Texas.

RitchieValens -

Ritchie Valens

Richard(Ritchie) Valenzuela (Valens) was only 17 at the time of his death. Valens was best know for his hit songs, ComeOn Let’s Go from 1958, and Donna and La Bamb, from 1959. He made hisfirst appearance on American Bandstand in October 1958. It was near the end of January 1959 when Valens joined the WinterDance Party on tour. RitchieValens is buried in San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills, California.

The Big Bopper -

Jiles P. Richardson

The Big Bopper

JilesP. Richardson, the Big Bopper, was 28 years old when he was killed, Richardsonwas a Texas D.J., and singer/songwriter who became famous in 1958 with thesong, Chantilly Lace. He had written numerous songs duringhis short career, including a number one song for George Jones called WhiteLightning, and the number one hit RunningBear for Johnny Preston. Richardson was survived by his wife,Adrianne Joy Fryou, and four-year-old daughter, Debra. His son, Jay Richardson was born twomonths after his death. J.P.Richardson, the Big Bopper, is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Beaumont,Texas.

Memorial at crash site

Memorial for Holly

Andover fifty years later, the fans still remember and mourn. Memorials have been erected at thecrash site, the location of the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, and at theRiverside Ballroom in Green Bay Wisconsin, where they had played the nightbefore, on February 1^st, 1959.

Noone knows what would have happened in that up and coming era of rock and rollif any of the three musicians had survived. But opinions still run high that Don McLean got it right –it truly was “The Day the Music Died.”

I can't remember if Icried

When I read about hiswidowed bride

But something touchedme deep inside

Theday the music died……

~Joy

A Grave Interest’s First Anniversary Blog

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-06:00

Celebrate!

“Ananniversary is a day thatcommemorates or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of theyear as the initial event.”

-Wikipedia

Doing what I love to do

NextWednesday, February 1^st, will be the first anniversary of A GraveInterest. The year has goneby quickly, but it’s been a lot of fun! I have enjoyed all that ‘cemeterytime,’ strolling through the large city cemeteries, the small, countrychurchyards, the hilly, landscaped Victorian burial grounds, and the flat, wind-sweptprairie graveyards.

Whose Hand....?

Smitting the Devil

There’salways a special ‘something’ just over the next hill, or around the bend. I never get enough and always wonderwhat I missed when I leave. (It’s like going to a museum with limited time andnot getting to see all of the exhibits! ; ) So much to see, so much to do, and never enough time…

Getting direction

WhenI told my husband, Brian, that I was starting a cemetery blog last year, hewondered if I’d find enough to write about for an entire year. Not only for a year…I could do thisforever : D But I often wonder what post touched you, the reader? What did you enjoy? What made youthink? What did you find out thatyou didn’t know? So many peoplehave shared comments with me on Blogger, Facebook, in person, at conferences, and by email. That has helped me to keep adjustingand researching what you’d like to see. And, thanks to Blogger, I can go back and review the past year to seewhat posts received the most views.

I H S Cross

Celtic Cross

Themost famous post this past year was about the Different Types of Crosses in the cemetery. And there are many types, including Latin crosses, I H Scrosses, Celtic crosses, Fleur-de-lis crosses, Crucifixes... the list goeson! Since this subject has been sopopular, I will have a new post about crosses on Friday, April 6^th,just in time for Easter.

Islamic Funeral

Cremation

TheBurial Customs of Different Religionswas also very popular. After thesea burial of Osama bin Laden and the controversary surrounding it, I wanted tounderstand how different religions viewed burial. I came away with a much better understanding of what burial means to different religions and why.Hopefully, I conveyed that to all of you.

Woodmen of the World

Stiffy Green

I’vewritten over eighty posts, so we won’t go into all of them right now ; ) butothers that really caught your attention were about Angels in the Cemetery,Woodmen of the World, Graveyard Superstitions, along with the series in Octoberon ‘Hauntings’, and posts on famous people.

Cava

Map of Audience

Ilove to know where readers are located, so I scan the audience page of A GraveInterest to get a feel for where you are. Folks from the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada are allstrong followers. (Thank You!!) ButI am thrilled to see residents of Australia, India and Germany read regularlytoo! (And, as I keep telling myhusband - I am big in Slovenia, thank you very much!!) I love to see that many friendsfrom Spain keeping up – (Ah, for a bottle of Cava and a chance to sit down andchat!)

In my other life,
I consult with wineries
about social media,
and host private wine tastings

Home on Wheels

InJuly, I had to take AGI down to posting once a week, on Fridays, instead of thetwice a week (Tuesday and Friday) posting that I had started the blogwith. Due to a new job, and apart-time change of residence to a different state, it was necessary. I’m hopeful I can regain my twice aweek posting later this year!

Glenwood - Shelbyville, Illinois

Crown Hill - Indianapolis, Indiana

Istarted a new monthly series “Cemeteries Worth the Visit” in May. This special post is done on the firstTuesday of the month and features a look at one cemetery. It goes in depth about the history,famous and notable people, architecture and interesting stones. I’ve dealt with some wonderful and helpfulfolks at theses cemeteries and appreciate their time and information.

Talking with a grave digger

I’vealso met some wonderful ‘Tombstone Tourists’ in the field and online. Even when we don’t all speak the same language, theinspiration and beauty of the cemeteries with their sculpture, architecture,and history binds us all together with the passion we share for these gorgeousplaces.

White Bronze Headstone

Headstone with Photo

Andnow I have another year of posts planned out. OK - it doesn’t always go as planned, but at least I have adirection to start in, and an idea where to head for when I’m ready to go outto shoot, and research. 2012 willinclude information on green funerals, faces on tombstones,the history of white bronze headstones, an in-depth look at cemetery vandalism,several famous people, and the October ‘Haunted’ series returns. (And that’s just a few!)

AGI on Facebook

Ifthere’s a subject you’d like to see covered, please let me know. You are the reason this is so muchfun! I absolutely love doing theresearch, taking the photos, and sharing it all with you. Keep the comments, and the sharing ofthoughts coming.

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ThankYOU for following A Grave Interest on Blogger, http://agraveinterest.blogspot.com/ - Twitter, https://twitter.com/#!/aGraveInterest

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Brian in a snowy cemetery

Brian (with map) and Evie

Thanksalso to my husband Brian, (and our cemetery side-kick, Evie,) for making the entire journeyso much fun! (And, yes, for being able to read a map MUCH better than me! ; )

Coffin Cake

Autumn - My favorite time
to explore cemeteries

Now,let’s have some cake and ice cream and get ready for anotheryear!

~Joy

Remembering Audrey Hepburn

2012-01-20T06:30:00.000-06:00

Audrey Hepburn

Actress– fashion icon – humanitarian, Audrey Hepburn was known as being all ofthese. She was born May 4, 1929 to JosephRuston and Baroness Ella van Heemstra, a Dutch aristocrat, in Ixelles, Belgium,a Brussels suburb. She moved to London in 1948 and performed as a chorus girlin West End musicals.

Hepburn & Gregory Peck in
"Roman Holiday"

As Holly Golightly in
"Breakfast at Tiffany's"

Hepburn broke into films in 1951 as an unbilled extra in“One Wild Oat.” By 1953, she was winning an Oscar forBest Actress in “Roman Holiday”with Gregory Peck. She’s also wellremembered for her characters in “Sabrina,” “Funny Face,” “My Fair Lady,” and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Sheis one of only a few actors who have received Academy, Grammy, Emmy and TonyAwards.

Humphry Bogart & Hepburn
in "Sabrina"

Givenchy & Hepburn

Besidesher acting, Hepburn was known for her gamine figure. Hubert de Givenchy was so smitten with her that he designedher costumes for “Sabrina”without receiving any wardrobe credit in the film. The two formed a life-long friendship and Givenchy oftenreferred to Hepburn as his muse for many designs. She made ‘the little black dress’ a fashion staple when shewore Givenchy’s design in the 1961 movie, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” That same year, she was inducted into the International Best DressedHall of Fame.

Son Sean & Hepburn

Afterbeing in the spotlight for fifteen years, Hepburn decided to retire in 1967 toraise her son. She attempted acomeback in 1976 in “Robin and Marian” with Sean Connery. Through the remainder of the seventiesand eighties, she tried on various roles, but none that brought her criticalacclaim. Her last role in a motionpicture was in 1988 in a cameo appearance as an angel in “Always.”

Hepburn and child

Hepburn with child

In1988, she became the international Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. Using her celebrity status, she wasable to draw attention to the difficulties of displaced children in other countries. During her five years with UNICEF,Hepburn traveled to over a dozen disadvantaged, third-world countries trying togain assistance and awareness for starving children, and their need for food,medications, and protection fromviolence, exploitation and abuse in their home countries.

Presidential Medal
of Freedom

In1992, Hepburn was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work withUNICEF. The American FilmInstitute named her the third Greatest Female Star of All Time.

Audrey Hepburn

Itwas September 1992 when Hepburn began suffering from abdominal pains. The diagnosis was abdominalcancer. Surgery proved that thecancer had spread too far be removed. Hepburn decided to spend her last Christmasat home in Switzerland.

Grave of Audrey Hepburn -
photo by Alexandra Spurk

Tolochenaz Cemetery

Uponhearing the news, longtime friend, Hubert de Givenchy sent her home in hisprivate plane, filled with flowers. Hepburn died on January 20, 1993 of appendiceal cancer at her home inSwitzerland. She was 63. She is buried in Tolochenaz Cemetery inVaud, Switzerland.

~ Joy

Graveyard Poets for Friday the 13th

2012-01-13T06:00:00.000-06:00

2012ushered in not only a new year – but also a year full of Friday the 13^th’s– three in all, the most any year can have! So what better time to take a look at the Graveyard Poetsand their fascination with death and melancholy than on a day filled withmystery and dread?

TheGraveyard Poets were a group of over a dozen Neo-classical poets who wrote fromthe 1740’s to 1790’s. Thesewriters dwelled on mortality, religion and death, writing about coffins,skulls, the solitude of death, bereavement, and man’s ‘despair of the humancondition,’ hoping to evoke feelings of fear and horror. Sixteen poets fit this mournful,melancholy description; their poems were laments for the dead. The Graveyard Poets created a form of poetrythat became the predecessor to the Gothic and Romanticism genres; hence theyare sometimes called the ‘pre-Romantics.’

William Collins

Thomas Warton

The Graveyard Poets included the better known Thomas Gray, RobertBlair, and Edward Young, along with Thomas Percy, Thomas Warton, ThomasParnell, Thomas Chatterton, Oliver Goldsmith, Christopher Smart, JamesMacPherson, William Cowper, William Collins, Joseph Warton, James Thompson,Henry Kirke White, and Mark Akjenside.

Mostgraveyard poems are similar to two styles of poems, an ode – a lyrical poemdedicated to someone or something, and an English Ballad, which is sung. They are descriptive, especiallyconcerning the physical horrors of death and the ache of bereavement.

Thomas Gray

His most famous poem

Themost well known of the Graveyard poets was Thomas Gray who wrote “Elegy Writtenin a Country Churchyard.” Gray wrote the poem in 1750 after the death of a family member and thenear death of a friend. The combinationof events caused him to begin an introspective study of mortality. Made up of128 rhyming lines, the poem begins with the writer noticing the rich details inthe churchyard around him and ends with him contemplating his own death,complete with epitaph.

The Poem "The Grave"

Anotherwell-known Graveyard Poet was Scottish writer Robert Blair. His poem “TheGrave” consists of 767 lines of blank verse, dealing with death and thegraveyard.

Edward Young

EdwardYoung’s nine-volume poem “The Complaint, or Night Thoughts on Life, Death andImmortality,” became immensely popular and was transcribed into severallanguages.

Allof the Graveyard Poets were able to catch the public’s attention throughthoughtful, albeit morbid prose that made each person take a closer look atlife - and possibly appreciate the inevitability of death.

~ Joy

"ELEGYWRITTEN IN

A COUNTRYCHURCH-YARD"

The curfewtolls the knell of parting day,

Thelowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea,

Theploughman homeward plods his weary way,

Andleaves the world to darkness and to me.

Now fadesthe glimmering landscape on the sight,

And allthe air a solemn stillness holds,

Savewhere the beetle wheels his droning flight,

Anddrowsy tinklings lull the distant folds:

Save thatfrom yonder ivy-mantled tower

Themoping owl does to the moon complain

Of suchas, wandering near her secret bower,

Molesther ancient solitary reign.

Beneaththose rugged elms, that yew-tree's shade,

Whereheaves the turf in many a mouldering heap,

Each inhis narrow cell for ever laid,

The rudeForefathers of the hamlet sleep.

Thebreezy call of incense-breathing morn,

Theswallow twittering from the straw-built shed,

Thecock's shrill clarion, or the echoing horn,

No moreshall rouse them from their lowly bed.

For themno more the blazing hearth shall burn,

Or busyhousewife ply her evening care:

Nochildren run to lisp their sire's return,

Or climbhis knees the envied kiss to share,

Oft didthe harvest to their sickle yield,

Theirfurrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke;

Howjocund did they drive theirteam afield!

How bow'dthe woods beneath their sturdy stroke!

Let notAmbition mock their useful toil,

Theirhomely joys, and destiny obscure;

NorGrandeur hear with a disdainful smile

The shortand simple annals of the Poor.

The boastof heraldry, the pomp of power,

And allthat beauty, all that wealth e'er gave,

Awaitsalike th' inevitable hour:-

The pathsof glory lead but to the grave.

Nor you,ye Proud, impute to these the fault

If Memoryo'er their tomb no trophies raise,

Wherethrough the long-drawn aisle and fretted vault

Thepealing anthem swells the note of praise.

Canstoried urn or animated bust

Back toits mansion call the fleeting breath?

CanHonour's voice provoke the silent dust,

OrFlattery soothe the dull cold ear of Death?

Perhapsin this neglected spot is laid

Someheart once pregnant with celestial fire;

Hands,that the rod of empire might have sway'd,

Or wakedto ecstasy the living lyre:

ButKnowledge to their eyes her ample page,

Rich withthe spoils of time, did ne'er unroll;

ChillPenury repress'd their noble rage,

And frozethe genial current of the soul.

Full manya gem of purest ray serene

The darkunfathom'd caves of ocean bear:

Full manya flower is born to blush unseen,

And wasteits sweetness on the desert air.

Somevillage-Hampden, that with dauntless breast

Thelittle tyrant of his fields withstood,

Some muteinglorious Milton here may rest,

SomeCromwell, guiltless of his country's blood.

Th'applause of list'ning senates to command,

Thethreats of pain and ruin to despise,

Toscatter plenty o'er a smiling land,

And readtheir history in a nation's eyes,

Their lotforbad: nor circumscribed alone

Theirgrowing virtues, but their crimes confined;

Forbad towade through slaughter to a throne,

And shutthe gates of mercy on mankind,

Thestruggling pangs of conscious truth to hide,

To quenchthe blushes of ingenuous shame,

Or heapthe shrine of Luxury and Pride

Withincense kindled at the Muse's flame.

Far fromthe madding crowd's ignoble strife,

Theirsober wishes never learn'd to stray;

Along thecool sequester'd vale of life

They keptthe noiseless tenour of their way.

Yet e'enthese bones from insult to protect

Somefrail memorial still erected nigh,

Withuncouth rhymes and shapeless sculpture deck'd,

Imploresthe passing tribute of a sigh.

Theirname, their years, spelt by th' unletter'd Muse,

The placeof fame and elegy supply:

And manya holy text around she strews,

Thatteach the rustic moralist to die.

For who,to dumb forgetfulness a prey,

Thispleasing anxious being e'er resign'd,

Left thewarm precincts of the cheerful day,

Nor castone longing lingering look behind?

On somefond breast the parting soul relies,

Somepious drops the closing eye requires;

E'en fromthe tomb the voice of Nature cries,

E'en inour ashes live their wonted fires.

For thee,who, mindful of th' unhonour'd dead,

Dost in theselines their artless tale relate;

Ifchance, by lonely contemplation led,

Somekindred spirit shall inquire thy fate, --

Haplysome hoary-headed swain may say,

Oft havewe seen him at the peep of dawn

Brushingwith hasty steps the dews away,

To meet thesun upon the upland lawn;

'There atthe foot of yonder nodding beech

Thatwreathes its old fantastic roots so high.

Hislistless length at noontide would he stretch,

And poreupon the brook that babbles by.

'Hard byyon wood, now smiling as in scorn,

Mutteringhis wayward fancies he would rove;

Nowdrooping, woeful wan, like one forlorn,

Or crazedwith care, or cross'd in hopeless love.

'One mornI miss'd him on the custom'd hill,

Along theheath, and near his favourite tree;

Anothercame; nor yet beside the rill,

Nor upthe lawn, nor at the wood was he;

'The nextwith dirges due in sad array

Slowthrough the church-way path we saw him borne,-

Approachand read (for thou canst read) the lay

Graved onthe stone beneath yon aged thorn.'

TheEpitaph

Here rests his head upon the lap of Earth A youth to Fortuneand to Fame unknown. Fair Science frowned not on his humble birth, AndMelacholy marked him for her own.  Large was his bounty, and his soulsincere, Heaven did a recompense as largely send: He gave to Misery all he had,a tear, He gained from Heaven ('twas all he wish'd) a friend.  No farther seekhis merits to disclose, Or draw his frailties from their dread abode (Therethey alike in trembling hope repose), The bosom of his Father and his God.

~Thomas Gray(1716-71)

Cemeteries Worth the Visit– Frankfort, Kentucky

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-06:00

View of Frankfort from
the cemetery

Cemetery Gates

The Frankfort Cemetery, in Frankfort, Kentucky is visible from anywhere in thetown. Located on a bluff, itoverlooks the City of Frankfort, with views of the State Capitol building, andKentucky River. The rolling lands and vistas are gorgeous, no matter what timeof year you visit.

Ambrose Dudley's
Grave

JudgeMason Brown, Edmund Taylor, A.G. Hodges, Henry Wingate, Jacob Swigert, A.P.Cox, Philip Swigert, Orlando Brown and M.R. Stealey incorporated the cemeteryon February 27th, 1844. Approvalfor incorporation was granted by the Kentucky General Assembly. In 1845 thirty-two acres werepurchased from Ambrose and Eliza Dudley for $3,801. The land, at the time was known as Hunter’s Garden. In 1858 and again in 1911, more landwas purchased, to account for the current total of 100 acres in the cemetery.The Frankfort Cemetery was the second cemetery to be incorporated in the UnitedStates.

Frankfort Cemetery

Early View from Cemetery

Scottishlandscape architect Robert Carmichael was hired to design the cemetery in the Romanesquestyle similar to Mount Auburn Cemetery in Boston. Carmichael designed curving lanes and incorporated flowersnot usually found in the region to create a garden style cemetery. He terraced certain areas to overlookthe gorgeous views of the Kentucky River. Carmichael died in 1858 and is buried here.

In1848, $15,000 was appropriated to build a monument to those who died in defenseof the country during the Civil War. The State Mound designed byRussian-American sculptor Robert E. Launitz. Most of the intricate carving was done in Italy and thenshipped to Frankfort up the Mississippi. The military memorial is located on atwenty feet square granite base in the center of the cemetery. The Statue of Victory tops the monumentand four eagles guard each of the four corners.

Cemetery Chapel

In1890 a Romanesque Revival chapel was built on a hill overlooking the KentuckyRiver and Frankfort. Painted apale mauve, it blends in with its surroundings, regardless of the time of year.

Daniel Boone

Boone's Monument

Themost visited gravesite is that of frontiersman Daniel Boone, but the infamousquestion is if Daniel Boone is actually buried here? Boone died in Missouri on September 26, 1820. He was buried next to Rebecca, hiswife, at what is now Marthasville, Missouri. The Boone’s remains were supposedly disinterred by family in1845 and moved to the new Frankfort, Kentucky Cemetery. But Boone’s relatives in Missouri werenot pleased when Kentucky kinfolk came to take the remains South. Legend has itthat they allowed them to exhume the wrong bodies to take back to the BluegrassState. It has never been proven ifBoone and his wife were really moved back to Kentucky, or if they remain inMissouri.

Boone killing Indians

Rebecca Boone

Regardless,a large monument stands in the Frankfort Cemetery with four panels that depictBoone’s life in Kentucky. Thesouthern panel depicts Boone in a fight with Indians, one has been killed andone is ready to attack. The panelon the eastern side shows Rebecca Boone milking a cow.

Boone & boy

Boone at Cabin

On the northern panel stand a man and boy, said to represent Boone

telling the boy where he wanted to be buried. And the panel on the western side shows Boone sitting by his cabin with a slaughtered deer at his feet.

Grave of Theodore O'Hara

Grave of Paul Sawyier

Othernotable people buried here include Impressionist artist, Paul Sawyier, VicePresident Richard M. Johnson, and Theodore O’Hara, poet of The Bivouac ofthe Dead which is quoted innumerous cemeteries at war memorials.

Thecemetery also contains the graves of seventeen state governors, those massacredat River Raisin during the War of 1812, three national poets, and many militaryofficers and soldiers from the Civil War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War andnumerous other conflicts.

Tree Replacement Program

Memorial Plaque

Windand storm damage on this high bluff over the years, has damaged or destroyedmany of the huge, older trees. TheFrankfort Cemetery completed a tree and garden replacement program in 2010,where over 500 trees were planted. Over eighty-five different tree varieties were selected, with 60 ofthose being native Kentucky species. The donation cost to sponsor a replacement trees ranges from $300 to$600, and a memorial plaque is included.

TheFrankfort Cemetery is located at 215 East Main Street. The cemetery is open from 7:30 tosunset. The phone number is (502)227-2403.

TheFrankfort Cemetery can be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Frankfort-Cemetery/166030506756088?v=info&sk=info

Bivouac of the Dead

Withthe gorgeous views, ample history, and beautiful landscapes, the FrankfortCemetery is well worth the afternoon of any Tombstone Tourist!

~Joy

Grave Problems at Arlington National Cemetery

2012-01-06T11:12:00.001-06:00

Welcome Sign to ANC

Arlington House during
theCivil War

Whatbegan as a burial ground during the Civil War in 1864 has become one of ourmost revered national cemeteries, Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) in Virginia. But all is not tranquil there.

Arlington Graves

Extensive paperwork

ANCbegan making news in 2008 when questions were raised about cemeterymanagement. Then in 2010 it wasdiscovered that there were problems with some of the paperwork corresponding with buriallocations. An investigative auditwas scheduled. Two weeks ago, thefindings of this audit concerning improperly marked graves at Arlington madenews. It was reported thatalmost 65,0000 graves at ANC may have discrepancies, including graves beingimproperly marked, gravesites not found where indicated, and graves leftunmarked. Rectifying the problem will be troublesome since much of the cemeterypaperwork is inaccurate or missing.

Last December the Army announced that a criminal investigation had been launched into the misplacement of remains at Arlington. Then in June 2011 the FBI was requested to assist in the investigation.

Thurman Higginbotham

Higginbotham at ANC

The cemetery’s administrative personnel have beeninvestigated numerous times by the U.S. Army in the past twenty years. No major actions were taken because, reports indicate that a plan of disciplinary action was never agreed upon. But enough finally became enough. InMay 2009, an Army Criminal Investigative Command investigation announced thatDeputy Cemetery Superintendent Thurman Higginbotham had lied under oath, hadlied to Army investigators about accessing employee’s files, and had engaged insexual harassment. Higginbotham was placed on administrative leave.

John C. Metzler, Jr.

Metzler with President Bush

Higginbotham and Cemetery Superintendent, John C.Metzler, Jr. were also charged with being negligent in refusing to use acomputerized database that would have “triple verified” burial records atArlington. Metzler was fired fromhis position for improper management of the cemetery. He had held the title ofCemetery Superintendent for nineteen of those twenty years it was underscrutiny. Both Metzler and Higginbotham retired with full benefits.

A 'problem' grave

The Army’s ANC GravesiteAccountability Task Force announced on December 22, 2011, that they had discovered that 211 graves were unmarked orimproperly named. After reviewingalmost 260,000 graves and comparing information to 510,000 records, only196,000 graves were validated. A count of 64,230 have been discovered to haveproblems ranging from minor paperwork errors, to misspelled names ongravestones, to mislaid bodies, according to their report. That’s about 25% ofthe burial sites located in Arlington.

Arlington Graves & Flags

TheArlington National Cemetery Gravesite Accountability Task Force is now tryingto reconcile records and conducting a physical identification of each grave inthe cemetery. Every marker will becounted and each headstone will be photographed so that all of Arlington’srecords will be available on one database and act as a reliable record of thecemetery. That would account forover 320,000 remains in the 624 acres cemetery. The Task Force expects to have the situation resolved bysummer. While progress is beingmade in the Arlington case, it appears that these situations are becoming too prevalent. We must begin holding thoseaccountable for these “problems” that continue to plague our deceased servicemen and women.

~Joy

2011 - The Year In Review

2011-12-30T08:00:00.000-06:00

Iam amazed how quickly the year passes. And at the end of each one, I’m always surprised to discoverwho passed that I was unaware of. Today I remember just a few of those who left their mark (good or bad) onthe world. They have each affected our lives.

Elizabeth Taylor

Forest Lawn (Glendale)

Anactress from Hollywood’s Golden Age died in March. Elizabeth Taylor was known best for her beauty, her violetcolored eyes, and her eight marriages – two to Richard Burton. She was a child star who began actingin 1942 in the movie, There’s One Born Every Minute. During her vast career she made over 70 acting appearances in movies andon television. Taylor received astar on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and was made a Dame of the British Empire in2000. She co-founded the AmericanFoundation for AIDS Research and the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. In 1997, she was honored with the LifeAchievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild. She died on March 23, at the age of 79, in Los Angeles,California. She is buried inForest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) in the Great Mausoleum in L.A.

Geraldine Ferraro

St John Cemetery

Thefirst female Vice Presidential candidate for a major American political partydied near the end of March. Geraldine Ferraro started her career as a lawyer in 1960, at a time whenwomen were not expected to work outside of the home. Her first political appointment came in 1974 as theAssistant District Attorney for Queens County, New York. She was assigned to the Special VictimsBureau that prosecuted cases dealing with child abuse, domestic violence andrape. She was appointed head ofthe unit in 1977. In 1978, she waselected to the U.S. House of Representatives. During her time in Congress, she focused on issues dealingwith women and equality. In 1978,Presidential candidate Walter Mondale selected her as his running mate. Mondale and Ferraro were later defeated by incumbent President Ronald Regan and his running mate George Bush. Ferraro went on to co-host the CNNpolitical talk show Crossfireduring the mid-nineties. She ran twice for a seat in theSenate, both times being defeated. In 2006, Ferraro became involved in politicsfor a final time, working to support Hillary Rodham Clinton in her bid forPresident in the 2008 election. At the time of her death, formerrunning mate, Walter Mondale honored Ferraro's contributions to women and politicswhen he called her “a remarkable woman and a dear human being ... Shewas a pioneer in our country for justice for women and a more open society. Shebroke a lot of molds and it's a better country for what she did." Geraldine Ferraro died n March 26, in Boston,Massachusetts at the age of 74. She is buried in St. John Cemetery in Middle Village, Queens, New York.

Osama bin Laden

September 11, 2001

Theman who was responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks carried out againstthe United States was killed in May. Osama bin Laden was aterrorist who founded and controlled the militant Islamist organization AlQaeda. He was killed after U.S.Navy SEALs and CIA Operatives were able to gain entrance to hiscompound. Bin Laden died on May 1,2011 in Pakistan at the age of 54. He was buried at sea.

Dr. Jack Kevorkian

Photo by Steve Smark

Hewas a man who was both admired and hated for his stance on assisted suicide. As a medical doctor, Jack Kevorkian,campaigned for a terminally ill patient’s right to death with dignity byphysician- assisted suicide. Also known as 'Dr Death', Kevorkian admitted toassisting over 130 terminally ill patients who wanted to end their lives duringthe 1990’s. He was tried andconvicted in 1999 for assisting in the death of Thomas Youk, and sentenced to10 – 25 years in prison. He wasgranted an early release in 2007, after being diagnosed with liver cancer. He had served eight years of hissentence. In 2008, Kevorkian ran as an independent candidate for the U.S.Congress. He received almost 3% ofthe vote. Jack Kevorkian died on June 3, 2011 in Royal Oak, Michigan at the ageof 83. He is buried in WhiteChapel Memorial Park Cemetery.

First Lady Betty Ford

At the Gerald R. Ford Museum

Inearly July we lost a woman who was not afraid of public scrutiny, even thoughtshe was the wife of the President. BettyFord was First Lady from 1974 to 1978 when her husband, Gerald Ford waspresident. She could easily be called the most candid First Lady ever. Eventhough her husband was a Republican, Betty never failed to stand up for herconvictions on social issues, she supported the Equal Rights Amendment, awoman’s right to choose, and equal pay for equal work. She raised awareness that addictioncould affect any one, making her battle with alcoholism public in the late 1970’s. She later founded the Betty FordCenter for substance abuse and addiction. She also raised awareness about breastcancer after having a mastectomy in 1974. Usually a subject that was not discussed in polite circles, Betty wasopen and honest when interviewed about it. She told a reporter for Time magazine, “When other womenhave this same operation, it doesn't make any headlines, but the fact that Iwas the wife of the President put it in headlines and brought before the publicthis particular experience I was going through. It made a lot of women realizethat it could happen to them. I'm sure I've saved at least one person —maybe more." The hugeincrease of women doing self-examinations was amazing, and the incident wasknown as the “Betty Ford blip.” She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the CongressionalMedal of Honor. Betty Ford died onJuly 8, 2011 at the age of 93. Sheis buried with her husband on the grounds of the Gerald R. Ford Museum in GrandRapids, Michigan.

Amy Winehouse

Vigil outside Winehouse's home

Inthe short span on 27 years, Amy Winehouse managed to force in a lot ofliving. The youngsinger-songwriter began her music career at the age of ten when she formed arap group called “Sweet ‘n’ Sour.” She began writing songs when she wasfourteen and took to the stage in 2000 with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra.She released her debut album, Frank, in 2003. Winehousefashioned herself to resemble Ronnie Spector of the Ronettes, a sixties girlgroup, complete with bee hive hair. Her singing style shifted from jazz to soul, R&B and pop music. In2006, she followed up with her second album, Back to Black, which garnered her five Grammy Awards. While hermusical career was skyrocketing, her personal life was always tempestuous. Drugs and alcohol played a big part inher life and ultimately ended it. Amy Winehouse died July 23, 2011 in England and was cremated.

Steve Jobs

Alta Mesa Memorial Park

"The Man Who Changed the World" is just one title that fits Steve Jobs. As a young entrepreneur, Jobs founded Apple Computer in 1976, along with Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. Jobs was the first to see the real potential of the Apple computer, but after internal bickering, he was fired from Apple in 1985. He immediately founded NeXT Computer. He was named "Entrepreneur of the Decade" in 1989. In 2005, he was asked how being fired from Apple in '85 had affected him. Jobs relied, "The heaviness ofbeing successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, lesssure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods ofmy life..... I'm pretty sure none of this would have happenedif I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful-tasting medicine, but I guessthe patient needed it." Jobs stayed with NeXT until it was acquired by Apple in 1997. He was named Chief Executive of Apple in September '97, a position he held until his resignation in August, 2011. In 2009, he was named "CEO of the Decade" by Fortune Magazine., and "Person of the Year" for 2010 by the Financial Times. Jobs has been called a visionary, a pioneer, and a genesis, being compared to Henry Ford and Thomas Edison for profoundly changing the world. Steve Jobs died October 5 at his home in Palo Alto from pancreatic cancer. He was 56. He is buried in Alta Mesa Memorial Park Cemetery in Palo Alto, California.

Rensselaerville Cemetery

Andy Rooney

Iremember thinking, “He’s the last of the old CBS guard” after hearing that AndyRooney was gone. The oldcurmudgeon of 60 Minutes fame actually began his writing career duringWWII for the Stars and Stripesnewspaper in London. In 1949, Rooney was hired by CBS as a writer. In 1970 he would leave CBS because theyfound his special on the Vietnam War too controversial to air. PBS offered him a platform for the show to be broadcast on and he won his third Writer GuildAward for it. Rooneyreturned to CBS in 1973 working as a writer for special programs. In 1978, he joined the 60 Minutes teamwith his commentary segment, “A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney.” His final appearance on the news show was October 2^nd. He died one month later, on November 4,2011, at the age of 92. He isburied at Rensselaerville Cemetery in Albany County, New York.

"Smokin' Joe" Frazier

He was considered one of the best heavyweight boxers in the world. Joe Frazier fought from 1965 to 1976. "Smokin' Joe" brought home a gold medal in the 1964 summer Olympic games in Tokyo and turned pro the following year. He was named Ring Magazine's Fighter of the Year in 1967, 1970 and 1971. He defeated Muhammad Ali in a 15-round unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden in '71. Then in 1973, Frazier met defeat at the hands of George Forman in the second round of their bout. In 1974, Ali defeated him after 12 brutal rounds. Then in 1975, the 'Fight of the Century' took place. Billed as the 'Thrilla of Minilla,' Frazier and Ali, the two top heavyweight fighters gave it their all for 14-rounds. In the end, Frazier could go no more and Ali was named champion. After another defeat to George Forman in 1976, Frazier hung up his gloves. He spent the remainder of his life training other boxers in his Philadelphia gym. His boxing record shows 32 wins, 27 by knock-outs, 4 losses, and 1 draw. In 2011, Frazier was voted as one of the"Best Boxers on Earth" by the public. He died of liver cancer on November 7 at the age of 67 in Philadelphia. He is buried in Ivy Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

As Officer Gannon on Dragnet

Harry Morgan

Awell loved film and television actor died on Pearl Harbor Day. Harry Morgan appeared in over 100films, and was well known for the six television series he appeared in from1954 to 1983. Morgan started his film career in 1942 and appeared regularly in movies throughout the 50’s and 60’s. Hedelved into television in 1964 in the 26-week series Kentucky Jones. From 1967 to 1970, he became known asOfficer Bill Gannon on Dragnet. In 1975 he joined the cast of M*A*S*H as Colonel ShermanPotter. He kept that role untilthe show ended in 1983. In the 80’s he reprised his role for the movie Dragnet with Dan Akroyd and Tom Hanks. He continued to act in televisionthroughout the 1990’s. HarryMorgan died December 7, 2011 in Los Angeles, California at the age of 96 andwas cremated.

That's a brief look at just a few who passed in 2011. And now we look forward to a brand new year, and all of the hopes and dreams it holds! Happy New Year to you and yours!!

~ Joy

In the Cemetery at the Winter Solstice

2011-12-23T07:15:00.000-06:00

Yesterday heralded inthe Winter Solstice – the first day of winter, the shortest day, and thelongest night of the year. It is aday celebrated all over the world in many different ways.

In ancient times, WinterSolstice festivals were the last celebrations held before the deep, hard winterbegan. There was plenty of food and wine, for now, – and hopes that all wouldsurvive the coming famine months until spring arrived again.

It seems onlyfitting that we spend a few moments at this time of year in quiet reflection inthe cemetery. As the snow fallssilently around us, our thoughts turn to life and death, to the past and thefuture, to what we’ve lost and what we’ve gained. These poems seem to sum up those sentiments especially well.

In Beechwood Cemetery

Here the dead sleep –the quiet dead. No sound

Disturbs them ever, andno storm dismays.

Winter mid snow caressesthe tired ground,

And the wind roars aboutthe woodland ways.

Springtime and summerand red autumn pass,

With leaf and bloom andpipe of wind and bird,

And the old earth putsforth her tender grass,

By them unfelt, unheededand unheard.

Our centuries to themare but as strokes

In the dim gaunt of somefar-off chime.

Unaltering rest theirperfect being cloaks

A thing too vast to hearor feel or see Children of Silence andEternity,

They know no season butthe end of time.

~Archibald Lampman

An Old Cemetery

The mists swirl, themoon shines bright.

No one dares stray here.

They would never desireto,

Unless the earth coverswhat they hold dear.

Bodies sleepsubconsciously

In the presence of theirGod,

Singing silent songsthat decompose,

Under the wild earththeir restless souls trod.

The headstones standpale and somber,

Reflecting the whiteaurora’s glow.

Memories play like brokenrecords,

Trapped inside, echoinglethargic tones.

The world’s slow spincradles them to sleep.

Heavy eyelids come torise no more.

A thousand sunsetsdwindle and pass

Lives that mortalityripped and tore.

~Jana Rininger

This poem was written bya teenage author, only identified as swoopingpigeons from New York at http://www.teenink.com/poetry

Snow on Cemetery Stones

I watch as nature masksherself In flakes of snow thatleap, from heights

They fall in endlesstandem

Hiding her unveiledcruelty.

In winter’s months whenall is bare,

No flowers to distractlooking eyes,

We see the gravestoneswearing away

And the remainder ofunfinished good-byes,

We see nature’s curseand her destruction

In the words oncelegible.

‘Will’ who preferred‘William’

Is now ‘Wil’ with one‘L’ left alive.

And what of the rest ofus

Who walk the worldstill,

Will she shroud ournames in supposed beauty,

And leave all that weare

To become all that weonce were.

~swoopingpigeons

And one of my winter favorites! Although not writtenabout a cemetery, the woods also offer that forlorn feeling of the unexpectedand the unfinished.

Stopping By Woods ona Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are Ithink I know.

His house is in thevillage though;

He will not see mestopping here

To watch his woods fillup with snow.

My little horse mustthink it queer

To stop without afarmhouse near

Between the woods andfrozen lake

The darkest evening ofthe year.

He gives his harnessbells a shake

To ask if there is somemistake.

The only other sound'sthe sweep

Of easy wind and downyflake.

The woods are lovely,dark and deep.

But I have promises tokeep,

And miles to go before Isleep,

And miles to go before Isleep.

~Robert Frost

And now the season is at aclose - Happy Holidays to you and yours!!

~ Joy

Mishandling the Dead

2011-12-16T07:54:00.001-06:00

Dover Air Force Base

The story of the mishandling of military remains at Dover Air Force Base inDelaware became a national scandal last week after making news headlines allover the world.

Ret. Gen John Abizaid

Charles C. Carson Center

A panel hasconvened to investigate the claims that the Port Mortuary, located at Dover AirForce Base, incompetently handled the remains of at least 274 U.S. militarypersonnel from November 2003 to May 2008. An oversight committee will be investigating “violations ofrules and regulations, gross mismanagement, dishonesty and misconduct byindividuals employed at Port Mortuary.” (PortMortuary moved to its new home in the Charles C. Carson Center in 2003 and hashandled over 6,300 remains since that time.)

Landfill

Lt. Gen. Darrell D. Jones

TheAir Force has admitted that the number of remains sent to a landfill in KingGeorge’s County, Virginia during this 5-year period was vastly larger thanoriginally released. The remains of American service men and women from Iraqand Afghanistan were cremated, taken to the landfill where they were burned,then dumped with medical waste and buried. Air Force deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel andservices, Lt. General Darrell D. Jones has stated that this was the commonpractice at the time.

Buthow does such a situation become “common practice?” When does it become acceptable to mishandle humanremains?

Family and Friends

Graveside Services

Societiesfor over 200-thousand years have given dignified treatment to human remains. Respect for the dead is the number one reason. Burying human remains is a manner inwhich to show that respect or esteem for the deceased. Burial is also seen as ameans of closure, an esteemed end to life as we know it, signifying a time tomove on for family and friends.

Hindu Cremation

Body being cremated

Cremationis another socially acceptable manner for handling remains. In the U.S. it is illegal to crematemore than one body at a time in a retort, and the body must be placed in anapproved container for the cremation process. After cremation, the ashes may be placed in an urn or othertype of container and then be respectfully buried, scattered or given to thefamily.

Burialat sea is yet another manner that we use to respectfully deal with humanremains. The deceased may beplaced in a casket or enclosed in sailcloth, or their cremated ashes may beplaced in an urn or scattered on the sea.

Book: After We Die

Accordingto Norman Cantor, author of AFTER WE DIE The Life and Times of the HumanCadaver, “a corpse maintains a "quasi-human status" grantingit certain protected rights—both legal and moral. One of a corpse's purportedrights is to have its predecessor's disposal choices upheld.” Another cadaver right is to be treated with respect anddignity.

Landfill garbage

Prison Cemetery

Whatis not right or acceptable is to burn the remains and dump them in a landfillwith other waste. Regardless ofhow this practice came about, the idea smacks of hypocrisy and abuse. Even our worst criminals who die inprison are treated with more respect than it appears our military personnel whodied in the service of our country received at Port Mortuary.

Trevor Dean

Col Robert H. Edmondson

Thestory of this insolent situation originally broke last month. Air Forceinvestigators reported that they were tipped off about “serious misconduct” and“gross mismanagement” concerning the handling of remains at the Dover base backin 2010 by civilian mortuary workers. According to the BBC News, three senior officials, Colonel Robert H.Edmondson, Edmondson's top civilian deputy, Trevor Dean, and director of themortuary division at Dover, Quinton Keel, were demoted or moved to otherdepartments. None of the threewere fired.

Gen Norton Schwartz

Thecurrent Air Force chief of staff, General Norton Schwartzdecided last year that burial at sea would be a more dignified way to handlethe remains of service personnel. (This has been one of the more acceptedmethods used by the military for many years.)

Asa former reporter, I try hard to remain objective. But as an American citizen,I am stunned and outraged that such callous and offensive treatment would be allowed,explained away as “common practice” and viewed as an acceptable manner tohandle the remains of our military personnel – of any person.

Ifthese charges were levied against a privately held mortuary, the judgment wouldbe swift and the penalties extensive. The fact that the Air Force chose to see this as acceptable for over five years leaves me wondering about ourhumanity. For if we do not haveenough humanity to respect our dead, how are we to continue to respect theliving?

~Joy

Wreaths Across America – Saturday, December 10th

2011-12-09T08:45:00.001-06:00

Wreaths Across America

Tomorrowcommunities all across America will gather together to honor our fallen veteransduring the annual Wreaths Across America Day.

Wreaths at Arlington

Morrill Worcester

WreathsAcross America began 20 years ago when the Morrill Worcester, owner of theWorcester Wreath Company in Harrington, Maine, decided to donate live wreathsand have them placed on the headstones at Arlington National Cemetery. Military families expressed profoundappreciation for this gesture, pointing out how difficult and emotional theholiday season can be for a veteran’s family.

Ceremony Locations for tomorrow

Over600 ceremonies will be held throughout the country tomorrow, in nationalcemeteries, public and private graveyards, and in State House ceremonies in all50 states, all to honor those veterans who have given the ultimate sacrifice.

Wreaths on the prairie

Freshevergreen wreaths will be placed to honor of each branch of the service, Army,Marines, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, and MIA/POW, along withwreaths put on individual graves. In Arlington Cemetery alone over 100,000 wreaths will be placed.

WAA Poster

Theobjective of Wreaths Across America is to teach the younger generation aboutthe sacrifices that war can require and offer an appropriate manner to honorthose who have served. “Remember,Honor and Teach” is their motto. Most ceremony coordinators will offer a short briefing on the properetiquette of laying a wreath. Youth organizations and school groups across the country will be takingpart.

Truck convoy of wreaths

Parade route down the East Coast

Aparade of escorts, friends and trucks started in Maine on Sunday, December 6^th,scheduled to arrive at Arlington with fresh wreaths gathered throughoutthe trip for tomorrow’s ceremonies. During the 5-day journey, the motorcadestopped in communities all along the East Coast, spreading the word andencouraging Americans to “Remember, Honor and Teach.” The Patriot Guard Riders escorted them to veterans’homes, schools, and monuments all along the way.

A Veteran remembers

Itis expected that over 400,000 wreaths will be placed tomorrow throughoutcemeteries in all fifty of the United States. Over 160,000 volunteers, many veterans, will take part inthe events.

Honoring our fallen

Ifyou are interested in attending a ceremony or taking part, check out theirwebsite at Wreaths Across America, http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/

Orconnect with Wreaths Across America on their Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/WAAHQ

~ Joy

(Allphotos courtesy of Wreaths Across America website and Facebook pages.)