Calif. cemetery-turned-dog park keeps tombstone from burial site

There's an interesting story this morning from CBS News about a woman from Carson City, Nevada, who tried to return a Spanish American War soldier's grave marker to the "cemetery" where he is buried:

A tombstone honoring a Spanish-American war soldier remains separated from the ground where the man's body was buried because that cemetery has been converted into a dog park.

CBS Los Angeles reports that a decades-long controversy over a recreational park continued when Cindy Southerland of Carson City Nevada traveled miles to Ventura, Calif. To return a tombstone her husband found in a canyon in the mid-1960's.

The headstone honored Edward Baker, a veteran of the Spanish-American war who died at 44 in 1913.

He was buried at St. Mary's Cemetery, but that land was turned into a recreational space about five decades ago.

Today, dogs and pedestrians play above nearly 3,000 bodies that remain buried at the grave site.

Read the rest of the story here. (Emphasis above added by me.)


Video from KCAL9

If you haven't heard the sad story of St. Mary's Cemetery, you can learn more at Restore St. Mary's Cemetery. What is truly unfortunate is that the majority of area residents prefer that the property be used as a dog park rather than it's intended purpose of a cemetery.

So... how would you feel to discover that your ancestor's final resting place was now a public potty for dogs?

Copyright © by Elizabeth O'Neal

Guadalupe Cemetery displays beauty, peace

The beatific stone guardians stand in the tidy, historic Guadalupe Cemetery at the corner of Highway 1 (Guadalupe Street) and Highway 166 (Main Street).

They’re a landmark, even a tourist attraction.

Nearby, Amtrak trains zip by regularly. Yet the cemetery, which celebrates its 136th birthday this year, is a peaceful oasis in the busy industrial-agricultural community.

Here, loved ones aren't forgotten. On a recent day, the extraordinarily well-tended graveyard was filled with bouquets in reds, pinks, whites, even yellow daffodils and purple iris, plus an occasional American flag, giving the cemetery a park-like look.

Read more: Guadalupe Cemetery displays beauty, peace  >  Lompoc Record

Copyright © by Elizabeth O'Neal

Soldier's remains will stay at Ventura's Cemetery Park

The remains of a decorated war hero are staying put at Ventura's Cemetery Memorial Park. At least until a court orders otherwise.

The Ventura City Council on Monday overwhelmingly rejected a request to exhume the remains of Medal of Honor recipient Pvt. James Sumner, saying the British-born veteran is integral to Ventura’s history and should remain as the city works to better recognize an estimated 3,000 people buried at the hillside cemetery-turned-city park.

"He is an important part of our community," Councilman Carl Morehouse said.

Read more: Soldier's remains will stay at Ventura's Cemetery Park, council says » Ventura County Star

Copyright © by Elizabeth O'Neal

Bring a Veterans Cemetery to the Central Coast

In Tuesday's Lompoc Record, there was an article by Denny Anderson, president of the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, regarding the possibility of locating a veterans cemetery on the Central Coast.

Why is a veterans cemetery needed on the Central Coast?

Some 1,600 "Greatest Generation" WWII veterans pass away every single day. There are approximately 24 million veterans in the U.S., including 9 million WWII and Korean War vets in need of final resting arrangements, and yet there is no National Cemetery within 100 miles of California's Central Coast cities. Even the recent Bakersfield and San Joaquin Valley National Cemeteries are out of range for Central Coast veteran families. In addition, interment at a National Cemetery saves veterans approximately $2,000 in burial fees alone, so the lack of a Central Coast National Cemetery is placing a significant burden on the shoulders of Central Coast veterans and their families.

The proposed Central Coast VA National Cemetery would be located near Vandenberg Air Force Base, and would serve veterans from the Central Coast counties of Kings, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. There are an estimated 137,324 veterans in these counties today (if Los Angeles County is included in the mix, that brings the count up to over 345,000). The Veterans Administration estimates that there will be over 15,000 veteran deaths annually.

And let's not forget our troops currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. They will be veterans too, someday.

For more information, please visit the web site of the Central Coast National Cemetery. Click on "Get Involved" to download a petition to show your support.

Our Central Coast veterans need and deserve an affordable final resting place close to friends and family. Honor their service by helping to make this a reality with a Central Coast National Cemetery.

"Headstone of Wesley M. Houx." Digital image. Photographed by Elizabeth O'Neal, September 19, 2009, Goleta Cemetery, Goleta, Santa Barbara Co., California.

Copyright © by Elizabeth O'Neal

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.