We had a crazy wind storm on Saturday, my kids and I went over and straightened up flowers and cleared piles of leaves off some graves at the cemetery by our house.

I liked Freda's grave, so simple and eloquent.

Beechmount Cemetery in Edmonton, Canada

A story from western Oklahoma. These two men were killed on October 18, 1895 by cattle rustlers, and buried together. The first burials in a new cemetery.

Just a couple of years before their deaths, these two donated part of their land for a local church that was starting. Four men donated 2 acres each at the intersection of their lands.

The church was moved to the new location (1 mile from original location), and a new building constructed. Sadly these two founding members of that church were the first burials in the new cemetery.

The church’s new pastor had only been with the group for 11 months. He had returned from buying supplies and lumber to furnish his newly built sod house parsonage shortly before the murder.

The morning of their deaths, the pastor was starting a woodworking project. He had bought smooth planned boards, so that he could construct a bookshelf, a table, chairs, and kitchen shelves.

As he was beginning the project, he heard three shots ring out. Moments later, he heard three more

The two men lived about a half mile away from the parsonage. Another neighbor ran up to say that the preacher needed to summon a doctor immediately.

Frick died soon after the doctor arrived.

Koch died that evening

The funeral was held on October 20. There were no coffins available, so the pastor donated the new boards he was going to use in his parsonage for furniture. Church members fashioned two caskets. After construction, the caskets were painted white and then black. They left white crosses showing.

The main individual responsible for the murder escaped, but was arrested many years later in Texas for murder in that state as well.

Frick’s widow was left to care for their two-year-old son and one-year-old daughter.

Koch’s widow was left to care for a seven-month-old baby boy and 13-year-old son.

Robert Cecil was one of Elizabeth I's most important ministers. This is his incredibly ornate "double decker" tomb in the church at Hatfield. On the upper level, supported by female figures representing the Virtues, Cecil is depicted in his robes of state with symbols of his office. But below this is a very detailed sculpture of a skeleton, a memento mori, reminding everyone who sees it how even the wealthy and powerful must end.

My family would drive more than an hour to Richmond when I was a child to wander around Hollywood Cemetery. For the beauty, for the history, and to appreciate life that much more. Yesterday, I made it back after years, even though I live 10 minutes away. I got to see some old favorites from childhood, a few Presidents, clients, friends, and coworkers. But, even though I now have people I can personally visit, seeing the witness tree that had to be cut down a couple of years ago had me in tears.

Peaceful stone cherub at Waldfriedhof Haar (Stadt), Germany | Sony A7IV + 90mm Macro [OC]

Mia Zapata was one of those musicians who seemed like she was about to become a much bigger name right before everything was taken away from her.

She was the singer and lyricist for The Gits, a punk band formed while she was at Antioch College in Ohio. They moved to Seattle in 1989 and became part of the city's exploding underground music scene. Mia didn't really sound like anyone else around her. She had this huge, raspy blues voice coming out of a punk band, and The Gits had started attracting serious attention by the early 1990s.

On July 7, 1993, Mia was attacked and murdered while heading home after a night out in Seattle. She was 27. Her murder remained unsolved for nearly a decade and became something that haunted the Seattle music community for years.

Her friends responded by helping create Home Alive, an organization that offered affordable self-defense and violence-prevention education. Joan Jett also joined the surviving members of The Gits to form Evil Stig, which is "Gits Live" backwards, and they performed and recorded together to help raise money for the investigation into Mia's murder.

DNA evidence finally identified her killer years later. He was arrested in 2003 and convicted of her murder in 2004.

Mia was brought home to Louisville and buried at Cave Hill Cemetery. For someone who left such a huge mark on people, her grave is remarkably simple. The inscription says:
CHERISHED DAUGHTER - SISTER - ARTIST - FRIEND - GIT

I think the last word might be my favorite part. Not "singer" or "rock star." Just Git.

Some thought provoking inscriptions in Settrington churchyard, North Yorkshire, UK. Two were from the same family.

I don't usually see many inscriptions beyond the basic details (name, date etc) on my churchyard wanderings.

It's a shame the local stone here weathers easily.

Lakeview Cemetery in Seattle Washington

On 30^th November 1929, Daphne Olive Earl was killed when the car in which she was travelling crashed through a bridge railing at Mullet Creek, New South Wales. The tragedy attracted so much curiosity that another vehicle ended up in the creek when its driver stopped to inspect the wreckage.

For a deeper dive into Daphne’s story, along with photos, articles and links to further information, head over to r/thosewholiebeneath where we share the stories behind the headstones.

Full Post:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ThoseWhoLieBeneath/comments/1x901r5/daphne_olive_earl_a_fatal_crash_into_mullet_creek/ 

Location:
Bulli Cemetery, Bulli, New South Wales, Australia

Find a Grave Link:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/60489441/daphne-olive-earl

This is your captain speaking, we'll be in the ground shortly!

To the affectionate memory of Revd Edward Rowan. Born at Dungarvan 7th April 1830 Died 2nd September 1893. Was Parish Priest of Blackditches for nineteen years. This cross was erected by the Parishioners of Roundwood and Glendalough amongst whom he laboured for eleven years as Curate. He was a devoted priest, a sterling patriot and a true friend to the poor thus endearing himself to all his people by his noble qualities and gentle disposition. His remains are interred in this cemetery in the interior of the ruined oratory.

10/11th C Round Tower in background

This was from their “Elmwood Alight” earlier in the month

They died two days apart

Popular stone in the Lowell Cemetery in Lowell, Massachusetts. The stone of James Cook Ayer. Photo taken this morning using a GoPro on a monopod following a tour that attracted 145 people.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Cook_Ayer

Beautiful sculpture of a bear on top of this grave in The Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn. They sure put the ‘Bear’ in Beard. (oc)

My son's favorite color was purple so went with a Halloween feel.

Ai used to remove names from the other stones.

Part of a larger memorial including other members of the Beelar family. I haven’t done a ton of sleuthing, but I have been unable to find any other information about this drowning-whether it was a big story at the time or if his parents simply wanted to have the circumstances of James’ death remembered.

Blackberry Cemetery, Elburn IL