Take The Time To Visit Your Loved Ones That Have Passed

[Pineywoods]

Funny you should post this, making that trip has been on my mind lately. My father is buried in Parker Cemetery outside Grapeland. It started as a family cemetery in the 1850's when my Parker ancestor buried a son who died in an accident. There are several hundred graves there now many of whom I am related to in one way or another. The majority of my family on that side never left Houston County or the surrounding area going back 170 years. When I go, I take picture of old headstones so I can do some research on who they were. The older I get the more compelled I am to explore my roots...

My wife's family goes back over 125 years in Grapeland and her great Grandpa was a preacher in the area. Some of her family is buried at Antrim Cemetary there where my wife and I also have a plot. Their old family farm where I hunt has been in my wife's family since around 1900.

[Puggy625]

I may be in the minority, but I do not like going to graveyards. I miss my father, mother, grand parents, uncles & aunts and great uncles and great aunts. To me they are not at that grave - they are with me. And I still talk with them. One of the things I love about hunting is sitting in the still dark of an hour before 1st light and just thinking and talking. When I kick the bucket, I'll be cremated and spread out somewhere. There is always the guilt of not visiting and I don't want to pass that on.

This is me to the letter. I've told everyone I know, cremate me, spread my ashes in a few places that have meaning to me, and have a party to celebrate my life. I don't want anyone crying over me. Party on and laugh till it hurts.

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[doright]

The only time I go is when another family member is laid to rest. I'm not opposed to folks going but it's something I do not want to do. there are several reasons behind my thoughts. Its a wound that's healing and I don't want rip the scab off. Also its a chapter in my life that I do not want to reread. I need to keep moving forward.

[manwitaplan]

Gumbo man not to side track but what did you use to clean that up. I buried my mom in 2010 and I have only been back a handful of times. I need to go and I am sure clean up hers and my grandmothers.
Because of this thread I will put this as priority. Thank you.


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[AntlerCollector]

I probably should but I get depressed going to graveyards. I need to make it a point to see people that I love that are still living as much as I can. And I'm not the worlds best about that either. It's easy to get caught up in the things going on in your life. I don't ever want to regret not seeing people when they're here. That's a bad feeling walking up to a gravestone and talking to it instead of the person it's there for. I don't ever want to do that and feel like I'm looking at a strangers headstone. I need to be better about going to see people I care about because it's not going to be that way forever. I have a choice. One day I won't be able to see them or hear their voice and not by choice.

I’m with ya on this. Well said.

[ladybluearm]

I’m sorry that this is the only response that you could come up with. You really didn’t need to respond at all.

Agree totally.

[Ætheling]

Take The Time To Visit Your Loved Ones That Have Passed

Going back thousands of years my people have always cremated except for great kings back in the old times. Its such a cultural paradigm within me that I was quite disturbed to attend my wife’s grandfather’s funeral. They had him laid out in a suit and make up. Real odd to me. I didn’t show my bewilderment obviously. I also abhor the idea of a loved one rotting in a cask underground. Not trying to be rude just so foreign to me. To me the body is an empty vessel at that point. Zero value.

With that said I respect all cultures burial practices and I think it shows good reverence to care for graves and graveyards.


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[Razrbk89]

May be identifying myself as an oddball but I like going to old cemeteries and reading the tombstones. There is a really old one on a hilltop at a friends ranch in Bosque County with graves going back to the mid 1800”s. He keeps it mowed and trimmed and maintains the original wrought iron fence around it. About 40 graves. A few that say “killed by Indians “. Several with a woman and a newborn buried together - died in childbirth. All my mother’s people are buried at Hollywood cemetery in Richmond Virginia. In addition to my grandparents and generations going back to the 1840’s there are the graves of 4 presidents and lots of people you would know from your history books including Jefferson Davis. Lots of beautiful and ornate graves. How we remember our dead says a lot about who we are

I enjoy looking through them, too. Lots of cool family history in them. I always enjoy decoration day at our old cemeteries up here, especially with elderly family members that can provide information and stories about the older graves. Some of them are even too old (or unmarked) for them to remember.

I’ve found several graves on a place of ours and got interested in their history. Just a cool hobby for me. One of them (allegedly) is a little girl that died while traveling through in the 1840s. Grave was lost and I found it bushogging up on a hill in a pretty pasture. Really considering doing something to spruce it up/better mark it. Couldn’t imagine what those people were going through especially having young daughters of my own.

Great job cleaning up that head stone, OP.

[Hogmauler]

I know my folks are in Heaven. They were born again believers. But their remains are here. It may sound morbid but when I go I feel close to em. I miss em everyday but I’m also glad there not here going through what we’re gonna go through.

[okrattler]

Going back thousands of years my people have always cremated except for great kings back in the old times. Its such a cultural paradigm within me that I was quite disturbed to attend my wife’s grandfather’s funeral. They had him laid out in a suit and make up. Real odd to me. I didn’t show my bewilderment obviously. I also abhor the idea of a loved one rotting in a cask underground. Not trying to be rude just so foreign to me. To me the body is an empty vessel at that point. Zero value.

With that said I respect all cultures burial practices and I think it shows good reverence to care for graves and graveyards.


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I think along the same lines except I think it's very strange that we preserve people and put them into the ground in boxes that will be there for hundreds of years. I think we should go back into nature in some form or another whether in ashes or returning to the earth in human form in a box that decays quickly or no box at all. It just doesn't seem natural the way in which it's done and was probably never intended to be that way. Even plots of ground designated for it don't make a whole lot of sense. We mark our dead with stones but in reality just how many years after a person's death are they completely forgotten? Eventually people are just names on a headstone......

I find it odd but it is what it is. Just something to ponder I suppose. But the last I knew they weren't making any more land. Seems like we could be more productive and use the resources we have to benefit the living. But what do I know? If I don't do anything useful on this earth other than grow flowers or plants for animals to eat that's better than nothing. But that's just how I see it.

I'll be cremated. I don't want nobody standing over me crying or cussin me or nothin and not being able to do anything about it. Don't seem right.

[Gumbo Man]

Gumbo man not to side track but what did you use to clean that up. I buried my mom in 2010 and I have only been back a handful of times. I need to go and I am sure clean up hers and my grandmothers.
Because of this thread I will put this as priority. Thank you.


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I used straight liquid bleach and scrub brush and a lot of elbow grease. Plus 1 gallon of water for clean up.

[CabezaBlanca]

I used straight liquid bleach and scrub brush and a lot of elbow grease. Plus 1 gallon of water for clean up.

If you're ever in the area again and need anything just holler. I'm literally one minute away.

[Gumbo Man]

If you're ever in the area again and need anything just holler. I'm literally one minute away.

I figured that you would know where the cemetery was. Her old old farm house is still standing but boarded up. It is directly behind the cemetery across the field about 1/4 mile or so. Thanks for the offer.

[Gumbo Man]

If you're ever in the area again and need anything just holler. I'm literally one minute away.

My grandmothers house.

[CabezaBlanca]

I figured that you would know where the cemetery was. Her old old farm house is still standing but boarded up. It is directly behind the cemetery across the field about 1/4 mile or so. Thanks for the offer.

I drive by it all the time!