Matters of Life and Death
The other night at the ballpark, I found another sweet mullet cut to add to my collection. For the record! I do love a well-done mullet, or as we called them in the ’80’s a “Bi-Level”.
I think I may have had the bi-level coiff for my senior picture….I remember that they were in style at the time, and I wanted one badly. Mother would not allow it, so I had the neighbor across the street cut it. Loved it!
Maple Park Cemetery is a privately owned association and is the final resting place of many prominent Springfieldians. The cemetery association was organized in 1876.
Maple Park was added to the Springfield Historical Site Register in 1974 and is a lovely and interesting place to visit. However, on a recent visit I was disturbed to find several of the stones broken and in need of repair.
Most of these are older stones, and I doubt back then there were perpetual care funds set up to maintain the sites. Maybe it’s a non-endowed cemetery? Missouri law requires that signs to be posted to that effect. Actually, many of these stones have been in disrepair for a long time. Just seems like as expensive as burials are today that some of the funds could be used to maintain existing grave sites. However, this may be the real reason why these broken headstones have not been touched.
During the ice storm in 2007 this cemetery had extensive damage from tree limbs and debris, I’m sure it cost a small fortune to clean up. On a recent walk on the grounds, several shrubs and large trees were overgrown and in some cases completely covering some of the stones.
What’s the answer?
This tatt caught my eye yesterday. Always full of questions, I asked the owner “Is that the tree of life? Are the words Hawaiian?”
Lakota was the language. The imagery represented Mother Earth, and Father Sky. The translation is:
Makpiyah Ate: Father Sky
Yuoniha: Honor
Ina Maka Yukka: Mother Earth Awaken
Wowicakl: Truth
The other arm translates to:
Yuoniha: Honor
Mitakuye- Oyasin: We Are All Related
Osikapi: Humility
One of the advantages of cremation is the luxury of time. Although many families want immediate closure, memorial services and interment can actually be planned for a later date to allow for family that may have to travel, or even better weather.
Such was the case with the Lee family. When Mary Lou Lee passed away in March, her family honored her wishes: She wanted her services to be held after school was out for the summer as she did not want her school-age grandchildren and great-grandchildren to have to miss school to attend her funeral service. “Have it in the summer,” she said, “and have everyone wear a big hat!”
And they did. Last week, they laid Mary Lou to rest beside her husband. One of Mary’s son’s owns an early SUV (short bus) and the family boarded the bus and drove to the cemetery for the service.
Back in the late ’60’s, with all the turmoil happening throughout the world, Mary Lou’s husband had several thousand of these flower power stickers printed up. According to one of the brothers, “These represent, not just a slogan or catch phrase, but a way of life.” One sticker survived and was displayed in a prominent location on Jim’s bus.
After the service, everyone gathered at Mary’s son, Jim’s place for food and fellowship. Earlier, the brothers went to Sam’s Club and bought their mom’s favorite foods, pimento stuffed olives and summer sausage, drug the tables and chairs out on the lawn, and honored their mother’s memory.
Beautiful.
Thank you Jim, for permission to share your experience with other families looking for memorial ideas.
We grew up together. Known each other since the fourth grade. We were best friends.
But now? I think we just broke up. Actually, the friendship has been disintegrating for several years now. Our lives have taken different paths and it feels forced when we do talk, which is not often.
We didn’t have a fight or anything. Mostly, I just neglected the friendship. And now? It’s rather awkward, she likes to talk about the past. I think it’s tedious. Maybe it’s all we have in common.