Published: July 01, 2009 11:38 am      

Couple cares for cemeteries

HUMRICK — Nearly 200 years have passed since the first neighbor was laid to rest in Bethel Cemetery, a truly divine grove east of Ridge Farm, and the time to renovate the three-acre clearing was achingly decades past due.

“I don’t know what it is about this place, I just love it out here,” said Diane Neal, Love Township Cemetery Board president and caretaker.

Neal and her husband, Cliff, have been tending after the four Love Township cemeteries, mowing, weeding and performing general upkeep for four years. However, this last spring, they decided just maintaining the rundown cemeteries was not enough — they wanted to drastically improve them.

The couple began restoring Bethel Cemetery, where around 160 people are buried. They recovered, mended and raised many stones, an undertaking that was not easy with little funds.

“We’re a small township with just a small amount of money,” said Neal. “But we owed these people more than that. They deserved a lot more than what they were being given.”

Ridge Farm resident, Lynn Hittlet, has multiple family members buried at Bethel Cemetery and visits at least twice a month.

She said before the Neal’s improvements, headstones were turned over, weeds were overgrown, the insects were horrible and you couldn’t walk without sinking into the ground.

“It was neglected for many, many years,” said Hittlet. “It was like a forgotten cemetery that nobody cared for. When you have family out there, it concerns you.”

Diane Neal said she just had to find a way to repair the cemetery, because leaving it in its current state was just disrespectful.

“These are the people who built the roads and paths we travel on today,” said Neal. “They’re not governors or politicians, but we’re here because of them.”

The Neals began pricing headstone repair and costs for moving the giant grave markers. Prices were way too expensive for their limited cemetery maintenance budget, which is based on a township of just 165 voters.

With some mentoring from the Westville Monument Co., Cliff Neal was able to rig a hoist onto a small tractor that, with some ingenuity and hard work, could eventually lift a 600-pound, solid marble stone.

“You’ve just got to love what you’re doing,” said Cliff Neal. “Setting a stone is a lot of physical labor. By shovel or by back.”

Many times while mowing they’ll find pieces of what looks to be a rock, but will turn out to be the edge of a buried tombstone. They’ll dig it up, clean it off and try to figure out where it goes.

Sometimes, it will be a piece of a tombstone they’ve been looking for and they’ll immediately know where it belongs. They’ve developed their own method for these repairs, with two people, concrete patch, cooperation and quick hands.

Other times a newly found stone will be a mystery. Records of the cemetery are not the best. A plot map was not kept and the list of names is just in alphabetical order. Those who believe their loved ones might be buried there must just walk the rows and search the small grove.

But doing so is not such a feat as it was before the Neal’s straightened it up and made the place honorable again.

Military men, infants, parents — from the 1800s to our current century — are all buried together in the clearing in the woods, remembered once more.

“It’s remarkable,” said Hittlet. “They’ve done a good, good job. I’m very pleased.”

The Neal’s will continue to work at Bethel Cemetery, but are beginning renovations at Yankee Point Cemetery. It is larger and more well-known than Bethel Cemetery, with up to 250 people buried there and being up to 6 acres in size, but needs help as well.

Two other cemeteries reside in Love Township and are currently under the Neals’ care. Whitlock Cemetery is about the same size as Yankee Point, but has fewer people buried there, around 120. Diane Neal said Whitlock is in the best shape of all the township cemeteries.

The fourth cemetery is Collier. It was just discovered in the woods about five years ago. It’s about a half-acre big and contains around 30 stones. Most of the stones are standing, but there is still work to do there as well.

Anyone who would like to volunteer to help with the maintenance or improvement of the Love Township cemeteries is encouraged to contact Diane Neal. Washing stones, grounds maintenance or help with setting stones are some tasks where help is needed.

“I’d just like to see these old cemeteries get their due,” said Diane Neal.

To Help

Volunteers always are welcome and needed to help at Bethel Cemetery or with assisting in improving the other cemeteries in Love Township. Cemetery Board President Diane Neal can be reached via e-mail at dine_119@hotmail.com for information on how to get involved.