A Grave Concern: Exedra on the Lake (View)

At Lake View Cemetery, exedra and exedra-inspired monuments are extremely popular down by the pond behind Wade Chapel. The families of the deceased seem to invite passersby to sit and enjoy the beauty of the pond while taking in the silent stillness and time for contemplation that the cemetery offers.

These two stones combine to create a memorial for June Louise. You can see the pond and fountain in the background.

The Kulle-Goden monument is nearby.

The Westerman-Chapman exedra is wavy, like the ripples of a pond.

The Killens’ bench sits on the opposite side of the path but also allows views of the pond.

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A Grave Concern: Beautiful statues

If you haven’t noticed, I am particularly fond of photographs of statues. I wanted to take another moment to show you what other cemetery bloggers have found.

A Morbid Fascination has this photo of an angel, contemplating the dove on her lap.

Escape the Silent Cities has a lovely photo of this angel.

Sleeping Gardens shows us this extremely well-kept child’s grave watched over by a stone angel.

Over Thy Dead Body posts on a variety of small statues of children from cemeteries.

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A Grave Concern: Children’s epitaphs

I cannot begin to imagine what it feels like to write a child’s epitaph. I am not a parent, but I have many children in my life whom I adore, and the thought of losing one of them is terrifying. But at the same time, I know it is something that has been endured for centuries, and I am reminded of that when I walk through a cemetery.

Mildred Schmitt’s family called her “our dolly” on her monument. (We’ve looked at her memorial before, as she perished in the Collinwood School Fire of 1908.)

Mary Sneddon was remembered as “our bonnie lassie.”

Debbie Ruth Hosler was memorialized as “our darling angel.”

John Card’s parents probably optimistically thought he would be the only child they would have to bury, and so they topped his monument with the words “our treasure.”

Sadly, there is a second almost identical white stone next to that one for Harry Card, presumably John’s brother. This one reads “our other treasure.”

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A Grave Concern: Pyramids

I found a pyramid in the cemetery.

I don’t know what it means. I don’t know why it was chosen. But it makes a great photo.

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A Grave Concern: Find A Grave

I want to take a moment today to give some attention to a website that I have found very useful: Find A Grave. It’s an initative to help people find cemetery records for both the famous (that’s its own subset of the site) and the not-so-famous. Basically, those who do cemetery research for whatever reason (genealogists, local historians, cemetery enthusiasts) upload information about cemetery interments and markers, often including photos.

Being created by volunteers, it’s not a perfect website – there are errors of spelling and transcription, and confusing monuments lead to confusing entries. For example, every single child whose name is listed on the back of the Collinwood School Fire memorial in Lake View is treated as if they were buried there. But it can be incredibly useful, particularly for those doing research on family members buried far away. If a photograph of the tombstone is posted, you can review it yourself, and the site allows for photo requests. You can put out there that you are looking for a photo of a particular memorial, and some kind volunteer might scour the local cemetery to find it for you.

I’ve been working to add my East Cleveland Township Cemetery photos to the database, as there has been very little research done that I can see posted.

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A Grave Concern: Newberry Wordless Wednesday

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A Grave Concern: Time for more exedra

I finally got back out to Lake View Cemetery to do some photography, and I want to show it off. I’ve decided that today’s post should showcase more exedra, monuments that consist of benches that descend from Greek memorials.

The DiCiccos have a rather modern take on the exedra, with two streamlined black benches flanking a statue of Christ.

The Gentile family has a simple but elegant bench.

The Philips’ bench is similarly understated.

I’m a particular fan of the “two peas in a pod” sentiment expressed in this memorial styled like a park bench.

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A Grave Concern: It’s not brain surgery…

…except in this case, where it is. In today’s story of obscure facts coinciding with photos I have taken, I bring you Dr. Harvey Cushing.

On this day in 1902, Dr. Cushing performed his first brain surgery.

Now the reason that I photographed the descriptive marker for Dr. Cushing wasn’t because I have a passionate interest in medical history, but because of the current condition of his family plot at Lake View. The Cushings are buried on a high ridge in Lake View on what almost looks like a balcony jutting out over the steep incline down to the base of the dam. The Cushing plot is blocked off with caution tape. I am assuming this is due to safety concerns.

As a result, the best photograph I could get was this one, taken from just outside the caution tape. Nothing is really readable on the stones from the available vantage point.

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A Grave Concern: Overcome by grief

Most statues in cemeteries gaze heavenward, toward the hope of eternal life, but some statues are bent over in such a way that they seem to convey the very moment in which the full weight of a death has hit someone, the point at which grief is so overwhelming that it seems an unbearable weight.

Atop the Groesbeck mausoleum in Spring Grove, this statue kneels, head drooping, a wreath on her lap apparently forgotten as she sags under the weight of her sorrow.

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A Grave Concern: Wildlife

Last weekend I went over to Lake View Cemetery to take some photographs. It was a nice warm day, nearly 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and Lake View was busy. Not just with people walking and biking, but with animals. A good number of the animals were dogs on leashes taking their owners on the first brisk walk in warm weather in weeks. The squirrels were scampering everywhere, and I was pretty sure I heard a cat mewing when I was near some bushes.

But the finest sight was the four deer lunching near the Elks’ plot.

They weren’t thrilled to see me, but they weren’t intimidated enough by my presence to run away. They kept a wary eye on me until I finished taking their picture and drove to another part of the cemetery.

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