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Serving All Cemeteries in Oregon

President’s MessageFall 2016

Where did our summer go? I was very busy as my oldest graduated from Cleveland High School and then started off her adult life by moving to Arcata, California to attend Humboldt State University studying psychology. It is amazing to see your child come into their own and with confidence.

When moving her to Arcata, I was out for a walk one morning and came across St. Mary’s and Greenwood Cemeteries near Arcata High School. I saw what looked like a white stuffed animal, like you see from Build-A-Bear or Gund. I was standing directly over the grave it was on, when suddenly it moved! It was a real cat, in rough shape (missing its left ear!), and gave me a look like I was the intruder and I needed to go. I said some kind words to the cat who was giving me the look of death and kept on my adventure. (I’m still kicking myself for not photographing the kitty). The cemeteries are a trip; a lot of graves covered in concrete or granite slabs, gorgeous sculptures, super cool mausolea, and breathtaking views.

I am looking forward to our Fall Conference on October 28th and 29th in Lincoln City. Our focus this conference is stewardship of the dead. Because the conference is being held the weekend before Halloween and All Souls Day, we are celebrating Dia de los Muertos. We will build a traditional altar, or oferda, and hear from Omar Hernandez of Centro de Ayuda, who will explain the Hispanic customs and rituals around caring for and remembering the deceased. We encourage you to remember a special loved one who has passed by bringing a photograph, memento, favorite food, flowers, etc., to place on the collective altar. Remember, this will be a shared project so if the photo or memento is too sentimental and you are nervous to keep it on the altar, perhaps leave it at home.

And, that’s not all! State of Oregon Representative Gomberg will present his vision for cemetery stewardship in Oregon. Think big, people, think SOLVE big! Lincoln County Commissioner, Bill Hall, will also speak about the struggles he’s had in his county with cemeteries that have little or no resources. Kuri Gill and Savannah Herrel will join us to talk about vandalism and cemetery grant opportunities for us. We’ve asked our vendors to host a panel discussion about products, trends, and marketing. We’ll end the conference with our annual elections and board meeting. I’ve included a registration form (it’s also

on our website), which you may email to CemeteryAssociationOfOregon@gmail.com. I couldn’t be more pleased with the line up this year and I truly hope you’ll attend.

Kind regards,

Rachel FoxPresident, Cemetery Association of Oregon

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Vendor Profile: OM StoneTouring a monument manufacturing facility might seem as though it’s just another industrial landscape: heavy machinery, infinite supply shelving, warehouse vastness, unusual smells, and loud sounds. The OM Stone facility in Hillsboro, Oregon contains all these elements, but the difference is that they are busy creating memorials for families’ loved ones and internationally-recognized monuments. Now run by the second-generation Bronleewe Family, Oregon Memorials was purchased in 1947 by Gordon Bronleewe, who at one time owned Hillsboro’s Fir Lawn Memorial Park. His son, now Vice President, Sam Bronleewe, was a Funeral Director and has made his career carrying on the tradition of Oregon Memorials, having led the re-branding to its current status, OM Stone. (The letters “o” and “m” are pronounced individually, lest a yoga practice inform you otherwise.)

OM Stone’s global presence is unassuming to the everyday citizen. With operations in Italy, some supply from India and China, and steadfast connections to the granite capital, Elberton, GA, this small company in Oregon has honed their offerings and adapted to technological changes in the monument industry

without sacrificing quality, service, and sensitivity to the reason why they are in business – to tend to the needs of grieving families.

By Anna Mehrer

Offering a variety of memorialization options such as columbaria, headstones, civic art projects, and Glass Art™, OM Stone’s custom memorial solutions are found not only in Oregon, Washington, and California, but worldwide, as well.

They employ artists, designers, customer service administrators, sales, and manufacturing/production staff. In the office, designer Tamara showed the computer design process, transfer to vinyl stencil, and stencil creation which is affixed to the granite and used in sandblasting the granite. Their sandblasting process uses pulverized repurposed ceramic ingots (see our video on Youtube). One of the commissions currently under production is the memorial for Earle Chiles. Sam demonstrated a hand-chiseling technique using tools he had acquired from a German sculptor. After the lettering is complete, an artist who has worked for OM Stone for 30 years, continues by finishing it with fine gold leaf. Such attention to detail and personal involvement in the monument production factor into the success of OM Stone maintaining its reputation of excellence in the monument industry.

Other examples of OM Stone’s work include the Humberston Mausoleum at Mt. Calvary Cemetery (Portland), Portland’s Central Library steps, New York’s Penn Station, California’s Museum of Science and Industry, and the IRS Building in Washington, DC, to name a few. If you are interested in learning more about how to partner with OM Stone for your wholesale supply needs, you may contact them online or connect with them at our conference in Lincoln City, October 28-29, 2016. In fact, Sam said one of the most impressive cemeteries he’s seen is Taft Cemetery, just a hop, skip, and a jump away from where we’ll be. Better yet, join us for Sam’s headstone cleaning demonstration on Friday, October 28th at Eureka Cemetery in Newport.

Sam Bronleewe

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OM Stone1299 NE 25th Ave.Hillsboro, OR 97124www.MyOMStone.com

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Years ago, the Cemetery Association of Oregon pledged to waive conference fees to all Oregon historic cemeteries (excluding lodging, the social hour, Saturday dinner, and golf). You have a historic cemetery if your cemetery has at least one burial of a person who died before February 14, 1909. Make sure to mark this on your registration form with the name and date of burial of the decedent in your cemetery to qualify.

Budget-Friendly Reminder

The board decided months ago that for the Friday of the Conference, we would have two events - the traditional golf outing, which Justin Trowbridge will be hosting, and a cemetery clean up, which Nancy Felton, Cynthia Beal, and Rachel Fox are organizing. At first, our sights were set on Taft Cemetery in Lincoln City, but they are having a Halloween event, “A Tour to Die For,” that evening. Rachel has been in touch with our friends in Newport at Eureka Cemetery, where they’ve had some operational challenges. It is strongly encouraged that conference attendees join us in helping our friends at Eureka Cemetery. Sam Bronleewe of OM Stone has offered to demonstrate headstone cleaning techniques. You may meet us at the cemetery at 10:00 am on Oct. 28th, or carpool with us from Chinook Winds at 9:00 am. Please email:CemeteryAssociationOfOregon@gmail.com if you would like to carpool. Eureka Cemetery is located at 1101 NE Yaquina Heights Drive, Newport. www.eurekacemetery.org

Conference Events

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Send photos, announcements, etc., to anna@orderorder.net

The deadline to take advantage of the specially-negotiated rate at Chinook Winds is

September 28 Mention “Cemetery Association” when booking.

Hotel Deadline

Omar Hernandez from Centro de Ayuda will present the Dia de los Muertos altar and its

significance in Hispanic culture. Please bring an offering to commemorate the passing of a loved one, such as a memento, photo, flower,

or favorite beverage.

Preparing for the Conference

Oregon Mortuary & Cemetery Board

December 13, 2016Location: Portland State Office Building. Check website for current information.

Oct. 14, 2016 from 1 - 4 pm at the Josephine County Historical Museum in Grants Pass.

Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries

Upcoming Meetings

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Cemetery Tour: Yankton, OregonIf you’re ever in the St. Helens, Oregon neighbor-hood, take a little jaunt up Pittsburg Rd. You’ll find a small green square tucked into the side of the road, across the street from Yankton Community Fellowship church, formerly Yankton Baptist Church. I got the tip from the owner of the bowling alley on Highway 30. She was a firecracker delight to talk to, and if I had time, I would have stayed and bowled a couple games. But I had a mission.

Yankton Cemetery, also known as Old Yankton Cem-etery or Yankton Hillcrest Cemetery, wasn’t too far off Highway 30. There’s not much parking right at the cemetery, so if you visit, you could probably park across the street. (Note the old church in the photos – it was demolished in August 2016.) The first thing you’ll notice is a very nice carved wooden sign, noting the cemetery was established in 1888 (the church in 1893). It seems the latest helpers were an Eagle Scout troop and Benjamin Herendeen. Unfortunately, no other information is available about their efforts. The earliest-born resident was born in 1830.

Of note were several World War Veteran medallions. They reminded me of the Confederate markers found in the South Carolina cemeteries we featured in the last newsletter. Other memorials reflected the logging industry of the area by using branches to create the lettering on the headstones.

The area is very quiet and peaceful, nestled along-side a rural road with the sounds of nature as the soundtrack. I hope you enjoy the photos and please be sure to view our video on Youtube.

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Yankton Cemetery

‘O ye, all ye that walk in Willow-wood,That walk with hollow faces burning white;

What fathom-depth of soul-struck widowhood,What long, what longer hours, one lifelong night,

Ere ye again, who so in vain have wooedYour last hope lost, who so in vain inviteYour lips to that their unforgotten food,Ere ye, ere ye again shall see the light!’- Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882)

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Legislative CornerRep. Gomberg will be introducing a bill that has the primary purpose to support Oregonians be good stew-ards of Oregon cemeteries. The focus of this bill is to ensure that cemeteries do not become overgrown and fall into disrepair. Cemeteries currently abandoned or with no caretakers will be the priority, while cemeteries with caretakers, but limited resources will be secondary, yet all cemeteries may be included in the promotion of stewardship. There are two concepts: Promote cemetery clean ups with SOLVE, using their programming to improve participation, and create a cemetery network program that builds relationships with organizations with related missions and Oregon cemeteries.

The cemetery clean ups with SOLVE will not address the leadership development aspect, but will provide a framework for improving cemetery condition. This first concept could serve as a pilot or first phase that may lead to the more intensive program below.The Historic Cemeteries Coordinator (Kuri Gill) can work with Lincoln County on building some leadership for the cemeteries in that county. The second program concept would work with service, environmental, and other state and local organizations to encourage them to take on cemetery maintenance work. This program will be within Oregon Parks and Recreation District as a part of the Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries.

Components of these concepts include: outreach to organizations, a link to cemeteries, track collaborations, track cemetery condition and needs, work with SOLVE, and more specifically, training people working in ceme-teries that there are specific ways to work in cemeteries to be respectful and preserve the cemetery features.

Program needs:· One full-time FTE (program analyst 2). As time pass-es, it will take care to maintain the organizational rela-tionships and find new ones as groups shift and change priorities. It will also take care in tracking the condition of the cemeteries over time.· Database support – track the ownership, condition, and assigned organizations.

· Supplies & Equipment – training supplies and presenters, travel budget to meet with state and local organizations and for cemetery site visits to establish conditions and needs.· Clarification of authority to do work at unowned cemeteries, liability clarity for cemetery property own-ers when people are working in the cemetery. Clari-fication of liability when people are passing through property to access a cemetery. When this is clear, more organizations and individuals will participate.· One full-time temporary position. Document the ownership, condition, and level of care for cemeteries in order to prioritize the order of assistance. Establish the priority cemeteries.· One part-time temporary position. To establish ad-ministrative rules, procedures, etc.

Establish cemetery clean up day: Work with SOLVE to develop a cemetery clean up day. They are interested in incorporating cemeteries into their work more deeply. Legislative action for both concepts: Help people access cemeteries without an owner or if no owner can be contacted for permission to access.

Thoughts for the CAO:1) This is a start. It doesn’t address cemeteries that are about to go under.

2) Getting the liability issue resolved will definitely help our situation where people want to help but are reluctant of the liability issue. It was a smart move to not incorporate into one bill. We need clarification on SOLVE’s involvement.

3) Does this need to be in Administrative Rules for abandoned cemeteries, when it’s in the Statute now? Would be very simple to add.

-Rachel Fox

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AllWest UndergroundBay City IOOF CemeteryBelcrest Memorial Park

Bethany Pioneer CemeteryBrightView Landscape ServicesBuxton Cemetery Association

City View CemeteryCongregation Beth Israel

Crane Cemetery AssociationCrescent Grove

Cemetery & MausoleumDallas Cemetery District #4

Drewsey CemeteryEagle Valley CemeteryEvergreen CemeteryFir Crest Cemetery

Forest Lawn CemeteryFranklin Butte

Masonic Cemetery

Gibbs CemeteryGreenwood Cemetery

Hawthorne Memorial GardensHeritage Pacific

Hillcrest Memorial ParkIdlewilde Cemetery

Island City Cemetery Maintenance District

Jordan Valley Cemetery DistrictLa Grande Cemetery Maintenance District

Lincoln Memorial Park CemeteryLund Cemeteries Inc.

Memory Gardens Memorial ParkMetro Cemeteries

Noble Burial Association CemeteryOak Hill Cemetery

Olney CemeteryOregon Wilbert

Paul’s Cemetery Service

Phoenix Pioneer CemeteryPilot Rock Cemetery

Pine Grove Butte CemeteryQuiring

River View Cemetery Association of Portland

Robert Bird CemeteryRogue River Cemetery

Roseburg Memorial GardensSkyline Memorial Gardens

St. Anthony CemeterySt. Boniface Cemetery

Sunset Hills Memorial ParkValley View Cemetery

West Lawn Memorial ParkWeston Cemetery

Westside Community CemeteryYamhill-Carlton Pioneer Memorial

Cemetery Association

Thank You To Our Members

In MemoriamFrank Leslie Blanchard, age 96, died April 17, 2016 at a Portland hospital. He was a funeral director, embalmer and funeral home manager as well as a cemetery sales representative and manager during his long career in sev-eral funeral and cemetery businesses in Oregon.

Frank was born in Marshfield, OR Dec. 16, 1919. He served his appren-ticeship in Albany, OR and graduated from the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science. At age 20, he was the youngest funeral director ever licensed in Oregon.

He entered the Marine Corps during World War II. Following the war, Frank moved to Portland and on May 16, 1948, married Betty J. Persons, from Albany, OR.

In Portland, he worked for the Kill-ingsworth Little Chapel of the Chimes

and was later the Sales Manager at both Portland Memorial and Skyline Memorial Gardens Funeral Home and Cem-etery. He and Betty moved to Bend, OR where he worked until retiring. After his

retirement from the funeral busi-ness, Frank and Betty moved back to Portland. To keep busy they continued working part-time at Meier & Frank Lloyd Center for 13 years, pricing mer-chandise and performing inventories.

Frank is survived by one daughter, Marla J. Blanchard and one son, Den-nis Blanchard, and his husband Barry Lynch, all of whom reside in San Fran-cisco, CA. He was preceded in death by his wife Betty in January 2014.

Frank was also preceded in death by his four siblings, George Blanchard of Albany, OR, Doris Summerfield of Eureka, CA, Arthur S. Blanchard of Novato, CA, and Sue A. Koos of Albany OR.

A private interment was held at Willamette National Cemetery and a Celebration of Life will be announced and held later this summer.

The family suggests contributions in his memory be sent to either Meals on Wheels in Gresham, or Snow Cap Community Charities in Portland.