There is going to be a workshop about the disposition of the bodies now interred in the
cemetery at the Northern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services Cemetery in Sparks, Nevada.
The meeting will be held 11/26/2008 at the address listed below. If you know of anyone
who has ancestors who were incarcerated at the Asylum from 1882 through 1949 it is
important that you step forward and voice your opinion, either in person or in writing, to
Dr. Harold Cook, whose address is listed below. For further information about this
cemetery which has a very horrible history, please log on to my website at
http://usgwtombstones.org/nevada/washoecem.html. More information is available to you at
the Friends of the Northern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services Cemetery
http://friendsofnorthernnevadaadultmentalhealthservicescemetery.com/homep...
Please pass this message on to others who may be interested in the proposed disposition of
the remains at this cemetery.
Gerry Perry, Manager
Nevada Tombstone Project
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NOTICE OF WORKSHOP:
November 25, 2008, 8-10 am,
Sierra Regional Center,
605 South 21st St., Sparks, NV 89431
NOTICE OF HEARING: November 26, 2008, 3:00 pm, Sierra Regional Center, 605 South 21st St.,
Sparks, NV 8941
These meetings are very important and will determine the very survival of the Old Historic
Nevada Insane Asylum Cemetery. The State of Nevada Dept. of Mental Health and
Developmental Services is proposing a change in the Nevada Administrative Code which will
give sole power over this cemetery to one person, the Administrator of the Division of
Mental Health and Developmental Services.
Cremation would be the only option for all grave relocations proposed by the State. Within
this proposal it states families could remove the remains at their own expense, but the
State does not know where any of the individuals are even buried so this is not an option.
Families cannot all be found at this time and those who have were not mailed invitations
to attend this hearing. Many families live out of state and will not see a notice in the
local Reno paper or posted in a State building or library.
Cremation is prohibited by many religions - particularly the Jewish faith. Terms used
within this proposed Proposed Regulation change include INCINERATION, INTERNMENT, etc.
which is very offensive to anyone of Jewish ancestry. Cremation is not the preferred form
of burial for many other religions, including Catholics. Also, if these remains are
cremated, all DNA will be destroyed and there will be no way to identify the remains for
families as they come forward in the future.
This proposal by the State was done without consulting our group, which is made up of
actual family and friends of those in this cemetery.
PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND THIS HEARING OR MAKE A WRITTEN COMMENT PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 21st.
COMMENTS SHOULD BE MAILED TO:
Dr. Harold Cook
Mental Health and Developmental Services
4126 Technology Way, Suite 201
Carson City, NV 89706
Sparks, Nevada. The workshop will be held on 11/25/08.