One thing that cemetaries seem to be going to is the flat stones. My mother-in-law just passed away last week and we were told that the cemetary (Three-Rivers in St. Francois County) would only accept flat stones to cut down on vandalism (sp?) and damage from caretakers. While I think this might be a small step in the right direction I sure do hate to see all those older upright stones become destroyed and eventually disappear. Connie Desoto Joe wrote: > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <Springwl96@aol.com> > To: <MOJEFFER-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Friday, October 13, 2000 12:29 PM > Subject: [MOJEFFER] cemetary damage > > > does anyone know any of the board members of the pilgrim's rest cemetery > at > > ware, MO? i was recently there and the stones are being damaged > apparently > > by mowers. no repairs are being made when these damages occur. during > the > > past year, my gr. grandfather's' stone has been hit, it appears > repeatedly, > > and the last letter of the last name is almost unrecognizable. i have > many > > other cousins with ancestors buried there and we are all extremely > distressed > > over the condition of the cemetery so if anyone has names and addresses > of > > the board members please e-mail me privately > > > > Deborah Bass > > > > You bring up a very good point. I have noticed this at other cemeteries as > well. The real tragedy is the headstones that have beautiful oval pictures > of the interred. I have seen one destroyed by what had to be a flying rock > from mowers. The problem seems to be, that they wait until there is a huge > amount of grass that needs to be cut, then objects cannot be seen to avoid > them. > > It just depends on how much these perpetual care cemeteries care about > preserving the past. Some do outstanding work, while others? > > Desoto Joe/The Record Man > > ==== MOJEFFER Mailing List ==== > REMINDER: This list is for Jefferson COUNTY and not > our state capitol of Jefferson CITY. If you are looking > for Jefferson CITY, it is located in Cole County.

Cemeteries with flat stones may be easier to maintain, but they're boring! I like a cemetery with all different shapes and sizes of stones. Also, I hate to try to find a grave in a cemetery with all flat stones. You have to walk the entire cemetery to find what you're looking for, whereas with the upright stones you can stand in one spot and, if you're lucky, spot the grave you're looking for in no time at all. Also, the problem I've seen with the flat stones is that many times they eventually sink into the ground and eventually get buried. When I was at Woodlawn Cemetery at DeSoto awhile back looking for one particular grave, I uncovered quite a few stones with my trusty garden spade as I was walking around that had nearly been swallowed up by the earth. I don't think that the cemeteries should allow this to happen, but they do. Preserving the appearance of the stones should be part of the maintenance of the cemetery, however, all most cemeteries are concerned with is cutting the grass and little else. B, Warner mailto:bkwofc@i1.net ----- Original Message ----- From: "C Pinkston" <cpnkstn@misn.com> To: <MOJEFFER-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, October 13, 2000 8:15 PM Subject: Re: [MOJEFFER] cemetary damage > One thing that cemetaries seem to be going to is the flat stones. My > mother-in-law just passed away last week and we were told that the cemetary > (Three-Rivers in St. Francois County) would only accept flat stones to cut down > on vandalism (sp?) and damage from caretakers. While I think this might be a > small step in the right direction I sure do hate to see all those older upright > stones become destroyed and eventually disappear. > > Connie > > Desoto Joe wrote: > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <Springwl96@aol.com> > > To: <MOJEFFER-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Friday, October 13, 2000 12:29 PM > > Subject: [MOJEFFER] cemetary damage > > > > > does anyone know any of the board members of the pilgrim's rest cemetery > > at > > > ware, MO? i was recently there and the stones are being damaged > > apparently > > > by mowers. no repairs are being made when these damages occur. during > > the > > > past year, my gr. grandfather's' stone has been hit, it appears > > repeatedly, > > > and the last letter of the last name is almost unrecognizable. i have > > many > > > other cousins with ancestors buried there and we are all extremely > > distressed > > > over the condition of the cemetery so if anyone has names and addresses > > of > > > the board members please e-mail me privately > > > > > > Deborah Bass > > > > > > > You bring up a very good point. I have noticed this at other cemeteries as > > well. The real tragedy is the headstones that have beautiful oval pictures > > of the interred. I have seen one destroyed by what had to be a flying rock > > from mowers. The problem seems to be, that they wait until there is a huge > > amount of grass that needs to be cut, then objects cannot be seen to avoid > > them. > > > > It just depends on how much these perpetual care cemeteries care about > > preserving the past. Some do outstanding work, while others? > > > > Desoto Joe/The Record Man > > > > ==== MOJEFFER Mailing List ==== > > REMINDER: This list is for Jefferson COUNTY and not > > our state capitol of Jefferson CITY. If you are looking > > for Jefferson CITY, it is located in Cole County. > > > ==== MOJEFFER Mailing List ==== > There is no formal NOMAIL mode for the MOJEFFER list. If you > plan to be away for vacation or business for an extended period > of time, please unsubscribe and then resubscribe on your return. >

----- Original Message ----- From: C Pinkston <cpnkstn@misn.com> To: <MOJEFFER-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, October 13, 2000 8:15 PM Subject: Re: [MOJEFFER] cemetary damage > One thing that cemetaries seem to be going to is the flat stones. My > mother-in-law just passed away last week and we were told that the cemetary > (Three-Rivers in St. Francois County) would only accept flat stones to cut down > on vandalism (sp?) and damage from caretakers. While I think this might be a > small step in the right direction I sure do hate to see all those older upright > stones become destroyed and eventually disappear. > > Connie > At Rose Lawn Memorial Gardens in Crystal City, all the stones are flat. This makes it easier to maintain. (As long as their cutting deck is not too low) & Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Cedar Hill has almost the same arraignment. The new Peaceful Ridge in De Soto, allows vertical monuments still. The new flat markers are presented nice, but you have no originality when they all become the same. The older first flat markers had a vinyl coating or rubber of some sort & I have seen them pop off of the corners & shrivel up from heat, making them unreadable. Looking for some relative in a sea of flat markers is trying on the nerves also. It is easy to overlook them because they all look the same. Depending on the grass that is seeded in the cemetery, some flat markers get completely covered up, even when the place is cut. To each their own, but I like the variety of the vertical stones. Desoto Joe/The Record Man