We’ve advised readers of the financial problems that small church and civic cemeteries have in today’s world of less earth burials.  Revenue is tougher to come by as cemetery grave lot purchase revenue is not received in a great proportion of today’s deaths.  That eventually leads to less money in perpetual care accounts. . . and those cemeteries that have perpetual care, well, with inflation, it is not stretching as far as it once did.

 

Welcome a unique program from the state of Connecticut called the “Neglected Cemetery Account Grant Program“.  You can learn more about it here.

 

This article from the Easton Courier will tell you of four municipally owned cemeteries that each received a small grant from the program to “restore, maintain and preserve the historic value” of the cemeteries.  The article continues to tell the reader that the money from the state is made available “to ensure that even . . . . cemeteries that have not seen burials for decade will not be neglected”.

 

Frank Pagliaro, a member of Easton’s Cemetery Committee made this comment, “Graveyards are historical artifacts, and for many of the people buried in them, they are the last tangible evidence of their existence.  We tend to think of the cemeteries and the stones in them as permanent, but like any old thing they need constant attention.”

 

Funeral Director Daily take:  I brought you this article today because over the years we have brought you articles about small cemeteries that have really had tough financial issues.  This fund will not be a panacea for all the woes that small cemeteries will be going through but it is enlightening to me to see there is some efforts being extended to preserve history.

 

For those of us who appreciate the cemetery historical perspectives and the function of “small-government” in America, I also found the following quotes encouraging:

 

“Easton citizens pay lots of money to the state in income tax, they expect to receive a portion of it back for the town’s needs. My philosophy is to take every opportunity we can to get some of that money back for anything that we need it for.”

 

“Easton’s cemeteries are an important part of the town’s history.  The committee not only manages these sites but also creates opportunities to foster community engagement to appreciate these unique grounds that honor the lives of previous generations.” 

 

Cemetery related news — Sinking cemetery stone seen as a grave concern.  Whidbey News Times (WA)

Cemetery related news —  Minneapolis cemetery receives global recognition — as an arboretum.  Minneapolis Tribune  (MN)

Cemetery related news —  Denver’s 2nd oldest cemetery is now a certified wildlife habitat.  Denverite (CO)

 

More news from the world of Death Care:

• Beyond the Grave:  How death tech startups are transforming what happens when we die.  Tech EU (Europe)
• It’s happening:  People are recreating deceased loved ones with AI.  Digital Trends Media Group (USA/Canada)
• Planning application to convert Andover business unit into mortuary.  Andover Advertiser (Great Britain)
• A new business brings funeral services to the winds aloft.  KEPR CBS (WA)

 

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