Memorial Day a good time to consider cemetery needs

Memorial Day weekend saw a steady flow of visitors to Royal Memorial Gardens Cemetery. United States flags had been placed on the graves of all the known military veterans, adding to the ambiance of the cemetery.

While Memorial Day is designated for honoring deceased military veterans, it is also a day when people make a special effort to remember all of their departed ones.

Typically, this Memorial Day, visitors strolled throughout the grounds, taking time to contemplate the many gravestones which stirred memories of the past.

Folks express amazement at the number of souls who rest in the one-acre expanse of lawn. They also wonder aloud who it is that places the flags that appear on Memorial and Veterans Days. Some speculate that it must be one of the veterans organizations.

Actually, the flags are set up by the cemetery commissioners and their spouses. An attempt is made to place a flag on each grave known to contain a veteran's remains.

There may be some who are overlooked because their status is unknown. Relatives of those individuals should contact the commissioners to advise them of their situation.

Three elected commissioners handle all of the management and operational tasks for the cemetery. Occasionally, a group or organization from the community undertakes a volunteer project to enhance the appearance of the grounds.

The most recent was a work day just prior to Memorial Day, wherein the LDS Church youth group raised up several gravestones which had become deeply imbedded in the lawn over time. The commissioners are grateful for this assistance, as surely are the families of those whose stones were re-set.

Community members may recall that in 2011, what had become quite a collection of over-sized grave adornments throughout portions of the cemetery were removed. Prior notice of this impending action had been given to the community in the preceding months.

It had become impossible to maintain a well-groomed lawn with those obstacles impeding the mowing process. Recently such items have been re-appearing on some graves.

Notices have been posted on these graves, and some items have subsequently been removed by the families. It is hoped that the others will comply in the near future.