Upcoming Event: Santa Barbara Cemetery Walking Tour

David Petry, author of the book, The Best Last Place: A History of the Santa Barbara Cemetery, will host a walking tour of the Santa Barbara Cemetery this Halloween weekend:

Saturday, October 31, 2009
10 AM to 12:30 PM
901 Channel Drive, Santa Barbara
$15 per person
Meet at the Cemetery Chapel

The Santa Barbara Cemetery is unique among cemeteries. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the cemetery is home to actors, industrialists, authors, musicians, sports stars, and many of the town’s founders and leaders. It was, for the duration of the Reagan presidency, the chosen site for the Reagan’s burial plot. The Cemetery Chapel is the only sacred structure designed by famed architect George Washington Smith; inside are the only completed murals of Mexican muralist Alfredo Ramos Martinez. Where most cemeteries are corporate-, church-, or government-owned, the Santa Barbara Cemetery is owned and operated by a nonprofit board whose by-laws were originally drafted in 1867.

More information about this event is available here.

P.S. I have a copy of Mr. Petry's book, and it is excellent. The history of this cemetery is really quite fascinating!

Copyright © by Elizabeth O'Neal

Upcoming Event: Picnic in the Cemetery

The Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society, in collaboration with the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Society, is sponsoring a Picnic in the Cemetery.

Saturday, October 24, 2009
10:30 AM - 12:00 NOON
Oak Hill Cemetery
2560 Baseline Avenue, Ballard
Cost: $25 for members of SBCGS and SYVHS; $32 non-members
Reservations and payment due by October 15.

Seven cemetery residents will delight you with their stories along with a little gossip about some of the other residents. Boy, did the Los Olivos and Ballard communities have some exciting and interesting characters.

A picnic lunch will be served at the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Society Museum and Carriage House after the Cemetery visit.

Please contact the SBGCS for reservations and information.

Copyright © by Elizabeth O'Neal

Tuesday's Child: Emma Caroline Ufken

EMMA CAROLINE

Beloved dau. of

J.G & T E. UFKEN

Died

Feb. 24, 1893,

Aged

5 Y's, 4 M's, 2 D's

Emma Caroline UFKEN is buried in the Goleta Cemetery, Goleta, Santa Barbara Co., California, Section 1 East, Lot 25, Space 1 .

Copyright © by Elizabeth O'Neal

____________________

Headstone of Emma Ufken." Digital image. Photographed by Elizabeth O'Neal, September 27, 2009.

Tuesday's Child: Charlie Malone

Our Little
CHARLIE
Son of
O.G. & S.E. MALONE
DIED
April 19, 1891
Aged
1 year, 8 mos.
Our darling boy gone so soon.

(At bottom, the word "ONE" is visible. The bottom left corner is missing. The stone has fallen and is laying on the ground.)

Charlie Malone is buried in the Lompoc Cemetery, Lompoc, California.

I have no further information on Baby Charlie Malone's family. His parents do not appear to be buried in the Lompoc Cemetery.

Copyright © by Elizabeth O'Neal

_____________________

"Headstone of Charlie Malone." Digital image. Photographed by Elizabeth O'Neal, September 4, 2009. Privately held by Elizabeth O'Neal, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Santa Barbara Co., California. 2009.

At Cemetery, the Plots Thicken

By Dave Bemis/Associate Editor
September 5, 2009

They say the troubles are over for the residents of a cemetery, but people in the Santa Ynez Valley who wish to join them some day could have a big problem: The Valley's only public cemetery is running out of room.

"We’re down to 10 to 15 years left," said Oak Hill Cemetery District manager David Jakkola. "People need to realize, 'My grandchildren may not have a place to go.'"

Read the rest of the story at The Lompoc Record.

Assembly Bill No. 124 Approved

Assembly Bill No. 124 was approved by Governor Schwarzenegger on August 5, 2009.

AB 124 authorizes the appointment of a temporary manager for a private cemetery when the current manager is unable or unwilling to perform his/her duties:

This bill would, notwithstanding any other provision of law, authorize a court of competent jurisdiction, based upon the court's finding that a cemetery manager of a private cemetery has ceased to perform his or her duties due to a lapse, suspension, surrender, abandonment, or revocation of his or her license, to appoint a temporary manager to manage the property of, and certain services provided by, the private cemetery, as provided, for a limited term of 6 months or until a new licensed cemetery manager is hired. The bill would permit the court to authorize the payment of reasonable compensation for the temporary manager's services, to be paid by the trustees from available income from the cemetery, as provided.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

AB 124 adds Section 9723.3 to the Business and Professions Code, relating to cemeteries. You can read more about AB 124 here.

Copyright © Elizabeth O'Neal

Santa Maria Cemetery District Asks Public to Keep its Grounds Clean

Reported by: Jimena Martinez
August 14, 2009

The Santa Maria Cemetery District is asking for the publics help to keep its ground clean.

The district's policy states that only fresh or artificial flowers can be placed at the gravesites.

The public is encouraged to remove flowers or objects left at grave sites before Monday.

Cemetery personnel will be removing all items, including fresh and artificial flowers, flags, balloons, and stakes next week.

Story via KSBY 6 Action News San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara.