Francis,
I just read your comments and I am quite upset. You are probably not on this list anymore,
but I still feel I need to get this off my chest.
I say this with respect to you because everyone is entitled to an opinion. So I give you
mine:
I am sorry that you think these precious historic headstones and monuments are just
"rocks". To me they mean more. So if anyone has "lost the big
picture", I think it is you. Headstones pay tribute to a person and their life. They
have a marker because someone cared. They are a historical record -and may be the only
record of a person's existence.
Our job of restoring these precious monuments is not emergency room work. We should not
work fast and just do what good we can do as quickly as possible. This would be a waste of
time. Why? Then someone else would have to follow right behind you to repair it properly.
Restoration of these markers requires time and patience to get the job done RIGHT the
first time. If you want to replace your ggg-grandfathers stone with a shiny polished
mundane granite one, go ahead. But what a shame. In all likely hood, your
grandfather's stone could look beautiful again, and you would probably spend more
money on the granite marker than restoring the original. As for the qualification program
for cemetery restorationists, I think it is a good idea. As for your medic example that
you gave, wouldn't you want a medic at an emergency to be qualified to work on you?
You are right - we do not own the stones. I believe the people buried in those graves own
those stones. Their great-great-great grandchildren didn't pay for those stones - they
did. You have to take into account that families moved away or the families died off.
Someone needs to care for those stones, so we try to. We are the caretakers.
From just reading your letter, I know for a fact you do not know Walt.
This is not his hobby. This is his job, And those "rocks", as you call them, are
not the only thing that is important to him. The people that rest beneath them are just as
important. You tell Walt to "get busy and do something". Did you know that he
works six, sometimes seven days a week in the cemeteries? I have never seen anyone work as
hard and diligently as he does. What drives him to do this? Because he cares. He does
share his knowledge with others because he cares. I can't even begin to tally the
countless hours and days and weekends he has spent with me to share that knowledge. He is
invaluable to all of us. Walt is the most humble person I have ever met. I have never
known a person like him. I don't know if I ever will. He is concerned that the
restoration of these stones is done right. He does it because he cares, enjoys his work
and feels he is doing the right thing. I respect him because of !
this.
These historic pioneer cemeteries should be restored to the best of our knowledge. They
are historic landmarks and should be treated as such. Some of us consider pioneer
cemeteries as outdoor museums. I agree with Walt's opinion that these old markers
should be treated as the historical artifacts that they are. These markers are each
unique. They are one of a kind. I agree with your statement to "Do some good".
But to quickly repair one is foolish. So I will go back and continue to use the warm fuzzy
statement: Do no harm, and when in doubt consult an expert.
Angela Tielking
tielking(a)knightstown.net