WTAE is reporting a Finleyville woman said she feels violated after finding that items are missing from a loved one's gravesite at a local cemetery.
Elaine Wasko's father died eight years ago. Wasko told WTAE that, since then, visiting in is usually peaceful, but a recent visit had her perturbed.
Wasko said a golden retriever dog statue and a hand-painted rock that her niece painted had always been there, but recently went missing.
She visited the cemetery office, desperate for answers, to find out "the stuff" was relocated—with hundreds of items from other gravestones—and had been placed hundreds of yards away behind a garage.
Wasko said no letter had been sent out to notify families and that she was upset. On Friday, the cemetery released a statement.
It began:
The condition of our diocesan cemeteries and the safety of all visitors and employees is of utmost importance. Every March the Catholic Cemeteries Association conducts a general cleanup of the cemetery properties. Our general clean up has been in place for over 20 years.
To read the full statement, click here.
Many families wish to decorate their loved one’s burial place as an expression of their love and caring. The cemetery has to balance these desires with more practical concerns of appearance and upkeep. While not everyone will agree with all the rules, cemeteries ask that everyone accept them as contributing to the common goal - a well kept cemetery. Rules and Regulations play a most important part in the beautification and preservation of the sacred resting-place of the faithful departed. They are intended not as restraining, but rather as defining an orderly plan of operation, care and permanent maintenance. A gentler approach for the cemetery - create a bag noting the items within are a violation of some type (offer a website site explanation of the rule). Keep the item at the grave were families expectation to find them are met. Keep them in the bag out of site so others do not think its okay and decorate likewise.