Remembering Decoration Day and Memorial Day

Many of us remember Decoration Day with annual visit to area cemeteries to decorate the graves. This also involved cleaning the graves as each family was responsible for plots.

Do not remember when Woodlawn and Fairview cemeteries were added to the tax rolls. The couple dollars costing taxpayers each year are certainly worthwhile and beneficial to communities. Memorial Day is now a time for relatives and friends to visit without working.

There are two more cemeteries in this area. St. Richard’s Catholic Cemetery and Montana Veterans’ Home Cemetery are located on Talbot Road.

Was visiting with Pete Darling. secretary-treasurer of Woodlawn Cemetery board. Pete grew up in Columbia Falls and has lots of memories plus hours of volunteer work in the community.

Pete recalled when Claude and George Bolick, brothers, used to cut the cemetery grass with their hand push lawn mowers. Probably in the 1950s when Claude told me about the bachelor making his own funeral arrangements. The man took clothing to be buried in and gave Claude money to buy a bottle of whiskey for the pallbearers.

Modern story of Woodlawn Cemetery concerns deer. The animals eat flowers off graves. The deer are always visibly upset when the blossom is an artificial flower with a wire stem.

Other scroungers at the cemetery are crows. They actually have been seen drinking water from vases.

United Veterans of the Flathead Valley opened their ceremony at Fairview Cemetery with a flag folding demonstration while Sue Haverfield explained significance of each fold. Their brief patriotic presentation is always impressive.

Memorial Day services in Fairview Chapel were traditional. Kelly Hartman was master of ceremonies and vocalist. Prayers were led by Jacky Fisher and Rodney Wendt read the roll call of veterans. It is always amazing how many Civil War veterans are interred there.

Taps was played by Katy Anderson and Garth West, Glacier High School students, to conclude the program. Carey Dill was thanked for beautiful grounds and arranging for the United Veterans of the Flathead County to participate.

Gladys Shay is a longtime resident and columnist for the Hungry Horse News.