I'd like to think that I'm not the only one who has found myself in this position...It has been 30 years since I've visited my father's grave. Why? I couldn't find it.
Even as new as this project is, I've listened as people have poured out their years-kept secret to me. For whatever reasons - be it family chaos, miscommunications, discord & distances that very often occur following a death in a family - there are many people searching for the resting place of a loved one.
This is the story of finding my father's grave, which turned into a project to map a cemetery so that others could find their family...their history, and in many cases to rediscover the history of a town or city.
As I mentioned, this project is new...it hasn't even been funded yet. And as strongly as I believe that the mapping needs to be done as a respect to those buried, and to families who are searching, I cannot proceed as I want without funding. I simply don't have the capital to do that. So the first step begins in a week, as I reach out to some individuals and organizations, and present my proposal - the numbers and the why's.
A lot of this earlier information has been given me through just a few phone conversations and some rudimentary internet sleuthing...I make no claim at this point for accuracy, especially as it deals with stories passed down verbally within a family or community. I do plan to substantiate as much as possible, for the sake of historical record.
The specific cemetery I plan to start with has an interesting history, which has just begun to show itself. There were originally 3 Jewish cemeteries that were combined into one. It's for me to find out exactly what that entailed, and why.
Adding to this, 20 years ago, the caretaker was fired*, and when he left, he took cemetery records with him. So very little remains. The new caretaker has been as meticulous as possible in his recordkeeping, he told me in a phone conversation. The local Jewish funeral home had also closed or changed owners, and that added to the mix. I'll be traveling there next week to take a look, and begin making copies of what remains in print, in order to at least get that saved electronically.
At that time, the current caretaker has also set aside time to walk through the large area where my father's grave is, hoping to locate the exact site. I still haven't found it, but with the help of the caretaker, and newly reconnected relatives in town, i am confident.
So who am I? What's my background? I will say that I worked as an investigative reporter, and also within the law enforcement field for over 15 years. The skills used in those fields will help with historical records, and help bring the stories back to the community.
This will be the story of the cemetery...a journal of the mapping project itself...the lives of the people laid to rest there...and hopefully a place for people to make inquiry about where their loved one rests. An ambitious project, yes. But all tied together. Join me as I begin.
*Although I have no first-hand knowledge of the issues and situation that led to the caretaker leaving, the story that it was due to termination of employment, and the missing records has been told to me by 2 independent sources. I will not identify him, should I discover his identity, no matter how strongly I feel he should answer for his actions. this is about moving forward and staying focused. should I discover that this information is false, i will print that here, in order to clear his name.
