Grave Stones

[Ray S S]

greetings, I haven't been on here much lately because of some problems with the computer. Hopefully I will get this all on before it goes off.

A couple weekends ago, the Lodge I belong to cleaned up a very old local cemetary for a community project. It is about 500 feet back in off a gravel road and partially hidden by woods. There is a 16' easement going through private property to get back to it. It is about 200' wide by about 400' long, fenced in with wire fencing all covered with thick vines and bushes. At first glance when we looked at it you could hardly tell there was anything there but tall weeds and bushes. While some were cutting the weeds and brush, I cut down 4 dead trees and cut them up into blocks. We had qute a roaring brush fire going all day burning up the small stuff and gave the blocks to the State Trooper who owned the property in front of the cemetary, to burn in his fireplace. We worked about 7 hours and still have about another day's work to finish the clearing.
It was a lot of work, but we all had a very enjoyable day of it. The newest date we found was in the 1920's. Before leaving I
took some pics which may be of interest to some of you.

Ray

P S Sorry about the shadow on the last pic. Notice how short his life-span was.

 

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[RGINN]

Good job, Ray, and God bless you guys. I don't believe my people are still there in the ground, but I still go out and do some work in the cemetaries when I get back to Oklahoma. We always called Memorial Day Decoration Day. It would be an all day thing, where you would go out to the cemetary and put out flowers and flags and have a picnic, and visit with folks. It was a social event, and I suppose those passed on would enjoy it if they could see it. Sometimes you could feel pretty close to them. That sort of thing has passed by the way now, though. We have cable TV, cel phones, and have to get to the lake and get drunk. A more pleasant relaxed time that I suppose is gone forever, you think?

 

[fossis]

Good job, Ray, and God bless you guys. I don't believe my people are still there in the ground, but I still go out and do some work in the cemetaries when I get back to Oklahoma. We always called Memorial Day Decoration Day. It would be an all day thing, where you would go out to the cemetary and put out flowers and flags and have a picnic, and visit with folks. It was a social event, and I suppose those passed on would enjoy it if they could see it. Sometimes you could feel pretty close to them. That sort of thing has passed by the way now, though. We have cable TV, cel phones, and have to get to the lake and get drunk. A more pleasant relaxed time that I suppose is gone forever, you think?

Great job Ray, we have been missing your posts, it's also nice that they are marked with newer headstones, many of our old graves only had a rock on some.
RGINN, believe it or not, we still have a big dinner on Mother's day & decorate the graves, but as the 'Old Timer's' leave, the young ones that had no physical ties to the area may let it die eventually.

Fossis..............

 

[bbqbull]

Great to see you back Ray!

Thanks for your group doing the cleanup in the cemetary, dirty job for sure.

 

[RPG]

Good post Ray. I know of a few cemetaries that could use some attention. Most are way back in the woods and forgotten. I've included one of my alltime favorite graves. I think yours is one of the shortest life spans I've seen and mine one of the longest.

 

[Ray S S]

RGINN, we used to call it Decoration Day, too. This cemetary didn't have any flowers or flags, just weeds and underbrush with kneehigh grass. Some of the headstones were so worn that some of the numbers were gone and othersonly partially visable. Therewere also some that were broken and fallen over.Yup, I aggree, it used to be a more pleasant and relsxed time. Thanks forlooking and your good reply.

fossis, you're right about the younger ones. They don't have the same values and tend to forget with so many other thingsto occupy their minds. Thanks for your reply.

bbqbull, thanks for the welcome and for your nice reply.

RPG,Yup. actually there are several cemetaries all over the country that could use some attention. I see what you mea about the oldest and youngest. LOL. The age of the one in my pic was only 16 days at the time of death and yours was 105 years old. Hemust have seen a lot of changes through his lifetime. Those letters are still in real good shape for as old as the stone is. Thank you for an interesting replyWishing you all a great day and happy hunting.

Ray

 

[RGINN]

It's nice that there are markers with names and dates. Like Fossis, I have a lot of family whose graves are just marked with a rock, and you have to know where and which one it is. I know where all those are and it looks like I better either buy some tombstones or write the location down, cause the younger ones won't know. I got a brother and sister who were born premature and died (I guess that would be considered an abortion by God, but we still gave them names and felt a loss) buried in SW Oklahoma in RedTop Cemetary and we couldn't afford markers, and the county came out and mowed down the ones the funeral home provided. I got the bright idea of goin out there and buryin aluminum cans along the perimeter of the graves. And it works, cause I got a metal detector and will probably always have one.

 

[Ray S S]

RGINN, good going! That sounds like a great answer for that situation. Sorry to hear aboutthe brother and sister that
died that way. It is always a big loss to a family when that happens.
Ray

 

[packerbacker]

Honorable toil there Ray and I'm sure, rewarding. I do have a problem with the youngest person's stone though. There is just something unsettling about calling such a young child Fred. I would have preferred Freddie. I know, I know, it's just me.

 

[RGINN]

Well it's a good solid name that would have served him well later in life, PB. I specifically gave my kids solid names, Walter and Katherine. They can call themselves what they want, but I figured those would serve better for business purposes. Amber Dawn and Dekota Shane are cute on 2 year olds, but they wear a little thin on a 40 year old, I thought.

 

[packerbacker]

Hellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllo rginn, you never heard of Freddie Pendergrass?? He's famous! and what about Freddie Fender or Freddie the Freeloader? Let's not forget Freddie Mac and Freddie Prinze! Fred Flintstone and Fred Mertz don't hold a candle to these guys.

 

[RGINN]

Yeah, I heard of all of those, PB. Freddie Fender rules, or at least he did til he died. I got the latest Texas Tornadoes CD and they got him on there. Freddie's alright, but they probably would have called him little Fred. You forgot Freddy Mercury.

 

[dpitt8]

dang if that guy really lived 105yrs that is sure as heck impressive for anytime in history...especially back then.