I decided to walk through the local cemetary west of Dent, MN and look at as many gravestones as possible for this Memorial Day "pre-week". The idea came about today on my (2nd, yahoo!) morning walk.
Day 1: Carl & Agnes Hanson. "So many stories", I said to myself. The first story was almost immediate: a man had died 3 months after his wife. What was the story? I concluded he had died from grief, (or not caring for himself) which is a well documented statistic from studies around the world. This led me to do a quick bit of Google research to affirm this belief. It was affirmed. Studies done (even in other countries) prove that men more often die sooner after their spouse dies.
Day 2: Jack Mondt.
Today I straightened up Jack's flowers and admired the rock on his grave. He must have been a unique person to get that unusual rock. I brushed newly mown grass off gravestones. I am glad they care for the graveyards here. Quite a few men in their 50's had wives living 30 more years after their deaths...together again.
Day 3: Chad Soderstom. Day 3 of my Memorial week walk. It's around 7AM, the bright sun is filtering through the trees into the graveyard. The sunshine blinds me and makes some stones temporarily unreadable. I walk up and down the rows, sometimes stopping, taking a picture here and there. Then I see Chad's stone. A few words and pictures can tell so much. Chad was a young man, when he left this world, I don't know how. He was very involved in sports and loved by many. A lovely stone.
I will join my mother and some family members for what is becoming an annual trip to Roosevelt, MN to put flowers on graves (maternal grandmother, aunts, uncles and other relatives), then drive to Rose Cemetery west of Roseau, MN...where my paternal family has plots. We will also wander around Rose Cemetary and talk about all the other people we knew...distant cousins, neighbors, etc. "I didn't know he died! When did that happen?" My mother will know all the stories.
We will visit my sister's grave, of course. Gloria died of cancer a few years ago in the early morning hours after her 52nd birthday. We had just visited her in Portland, OR. We returned to Minnesota and were driving from the Minneapolis airport heading for home when we received the call. Some of my family returned for the funeral. (We are grateful to nephew Jason and all his frequent flier miles that made those trips possible). It was expected, but the sadness and grief mixed with gratefulness that her pain was now gone are emotions I am sure felt by many in similar situations. My mother purchased a lovely stone for her from Dent Granite. I am sure we will speak of her stubborness. Talk about her children and how they are doing. Gossip, smile and hide our tears.
Knight, Smith Gloria Jean (Norstebon), b. 30 Dec 1954, d. 1 Jan 2007, for no one loved is ever lost and she was loved so much
http://www.interment.net/data/us/mn/roseau/moe_rose/moe_ak.htm
I think I will do this next year too. Maybe my Memorial Week Walk will morph into something different. Whatever happens, the morning walks were pleasant, thought provoking and made me appreciate life even more.
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