30 December 2006

Greenmound Cemetery in the News

It is not often that a story involving your ancestor's cemetery makes the national newswire.

Greenmound Cemetery in Keithsburg, Illinois, has made news scene because the displays put up on the grave of an Iraqi War veteran have drawn the attention of the cemetery trustees. While I understand the desire of the family to honor their deceased loved one, I also understand the need of the cemetery board to be able to maintain the cemetery without additional full-sized flags, benches and other items being placed at the gravesite.

The following papers have run articles on the controversy:

Chicago Sun Times
Aledo Times Record
Quad City Times
Galesburg Register Mail

I'm not certain how I feel about a flag flying permanently at half-staff either.

My wife's ancestors Archibald and Lucinda Kile are buried in the cemetery in this Mississippi River town. There is little controversy regarding their graves--even though Archibald Kile was also a military veteran.