Numerous people came to Snohomish's G.A.R. Cemetery over the weekend finding the objects and tokens that had been on their family members’ graves removed and placed in an assorted pile by the main office.
Daryl Girnus, G.A.R.’s manager, said he will keep them there until Monday, April 28. After that Monday, things will be stored in the back, and he won’t be throwing out anything personal.
Photo courtesy Nancy Burlison
SNOHOMISH — Numerous people came to G.A.R. Cemetery over the weekend finding the objects and tokens that had been on their family members’ graves removed and placed in an assorted pile by the main office.
Daryl Girnus, G.A.R.’s manager, said he will keep them there until Monday, April 28. After that Monday, things will be stored in the back, and he won’t be throwing out anything personal.
“I encourage people to get their items and put them back on the headstone” and not the grass, Girnus said.
The clean up was for mowing, Girnus said. Little objects become projectiles when mowers go over flush headstones, he said.
The notification was solely by email on a Thursday, and the clearing came the next day or so.
“That would be my fault, not thinking ahead,” Girnus said over the phone.
Not everyone got the email, a concerned person said.
Girnus said he doesn’t have everyone’s email address, and doesn’t have everyone’s mailing address.
He did get phone calls, though, that Monday. About six or seven people went further and chewed him out.
Some were sentimental items removed from headstones. G.A.R.’s rules say metal designs, toys, ornaments and boxes are not allowed on plots. Decorations and artificial flowers are not allowed March 30 to Nov. 1.
One woman sobbed.
“Every cemetery goes through the same thing,” Girnus said. G.A.R. last did this two years ago.
The cemetery should have had signs out about the removals, a concerned person who called the paper said.
Girnus said that’s a good idea.
