Families with loved ones buried in a Nova Scotia graveyard were upset to discover that bushes were cut down, flowers were ripped out, and sentimental items were removed from the graves. Maggie Kalkman was shocked to find out that her daughter’s grave marker had been moved without her knowledge. The stone marker was a reminder of the painful day she lost her daughter to a miscarriage in 2017. Similarly, Rebecca Crisp also learned through Facebook that the daffodils planted at her brother’s resting place had been removed, depriving her of a symbol of his toddlerhood. Both families were not informed about the cleanup before it happened, causing them emotional distress.
Members of the committee that maintains the cemetery explained that they had to remove the decorations due to difficulty in maintaining the graveyard in its current state. Jack Joudrey mentioned that notices were issued in the local paper and posters were put up in the community prior to the cleanup. However, due to the large number of graves, not all families were directly contacted. Some families expressed their satisfaction with the cemetery’s appearance, but others like Melissa Eye felt that the communication about the cleanup was insufficient. Eye’s mother-in-law’s glass top on her grave, purchased to honor her deceased husband, was destroyed during the cleanup. This incident left many families feeling upset and angry about the removal of sentimental items from their loved ones’ graves.
The lack of communication from the committee about the graveyard cleanup led to distress among the families with loved ones buried in the Gaspereau Cemetery. While Joudrey acknowledged that communication could have been improved, he mentioned that efforts were made to notify the community through the local paper and posters. However, some families, like Melissa Eye’s, did not see the notices as they did not reside in the community. Eye, who had sentimental items destroyed during the cleanup, expressed her disappointment in the disrespect shown to the sacred ground of the cemetery. The committee is now looking into enhancing their communication methods to ensure families are informed about changes at the cemetery.
The removal of bushes, flowers, and sentimental items from the graves at the Gaspereau Cemetery without proper communication has caused pain and distress for many families. Maggie Kalkman and Rebecca Crisp, who had their daughter’s grave marker and brother’s daffodils removed respectively, shared their disappointment in not being informed about the cleanup beforehand. Jack Joudrey, a member of the committee maintaining the cemetery, explained that the decorations were removed to facilitate maintenance of the graveyard. He acknowledged that communication could have been better and stated that efforts are being made to improve communication with families in the future.
The cleanup at the Gaspereau Cemetery led to the removal of various grave decorations, causing emotional turmoil for families who were not informed in advance. Maggie Kalkman and Rebecca Crisp were among those who discovered that sentimental items had been removed from their loved ones’ graves without notification. Melissa Eye, who had her mother-in-law’s glass top on her grave destroyed, emphasized the need for better communication from the committee responsible for the graveyard upkeep. The incident highlighted the importance of respecting the grieving process of families and ensuring that they are kept informed about any changes at the cemetery to avoid distress and upset.
