One of the many things I do as a genealogist is volunteer for Findagrave. A useful aspect of the virtual cemetery website is the ability to request photos of headstones. There are hundreds of camera-toting volunteers across the United States ready to fulfill picture requests for those who cannot trek across country on a genealogy journey.

It is a treat to bring genealogy alive for others even in a small way.

However, one of the saddest sights to see in the genealogy world is a small poorly cared for grave site.

Recently, I took my son, who loves the headstone hunt, to full fill a picture request.

I am an advocate for getting children involved with family history. The benefits are countless. It provides a sense of belonging that is invaluable, and it keeps the memory of those who have passed alive.

Back to the cemetery.

What struck me so profoundly at this particular cemetery was the number of grave markers about the size of a brick with just a name. Many names were worn to little better than nothing.

Grave after grave was over-shadowed by massive monuments. The pictures speak for themselves.

Many of the brick-sized grave markers were broken or faded beyond reading. It would take a trip to the cemetery office to learn information on who is interred in those spaces.

The saddest grave gets to spend eternity shoulder to shoulder with the trash.

 

 

If you would like to get more involved in the genealogy community, consider volunteering for Findagrave. It is easy to do and costs nothing other than a little bit of gas and time.

 

Thank you for reading.

J. R. Findsen

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