Birch Hill caretakers criticized for removing ornaments from graves
Published Friday, July 3, 2009
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FAIRBANKS — Birch Hill Cemetery has come under fire from some residents for what its owners said is merely an overdue effort to make the 40-plus acres more appealing to the average visitor.
The site, dedicated in the late 1930s, sits on the city’s northeast corner overlooking Fairbanks’ newest shopping district.
For two years, it has been managed and owned by the Birch Hill Cemetery Inc., a nonprofit set up for the purpose.
Tim Wisniewski, who owns the nonprofit, said he tried, at his own expense, to improve Birch Hill, which before 2007 was maintained by an unlikely set of caretakers — workers at the city of Fairbanks’ Public Works Department.
“I just like things looking good,” Wisniewski said, adding that his organization has made only minor changes to the management rules since the purchase, all aimed solely at making the grounds more respectful for all visitors.
But some residents are upset by what they view as overzealous caretaking. Early this summer, work crews began a heavy cleaning at the cemetery. In the process, they started to clear many grave sites of ornaments left by visitors.
Jori Walker, whose mother and grandmother are buried halfway up the hill, said she was surprised on a recent visit to find the sites cleared of a vase and other — but not all — decorative ornaments. A three-man crew was clearing nearby sites of plastic flowers, ornamental rocks and other items. She spoke to the crew members but nonetheless grew disappointed that more effort hadn’t been made to inform families and friends of the cleanup.
“If anybody took the last toy or the last rock given to (my child) before they passed on, I'd be pissed,” she said.
The cemetery bills the Birch Hill cleanup as one done out of respect for all families and friends, to “preserve a serene, dignified setting” that fits everyone’s tastes.
The cemetery’s written rules allow fresh-cut flowers, potted plants and flower baskets at any time. Withered flowers may be removed by cemetery workers. They also may remove other decorations that don’t fit the rules — plastic or silk flowers, clothes, candles or multiple flags — a few weeks after a burial.
Jimmy Collins, who manages the cemetery for Wisniewski’s nonprofit, said he’s received numerous compliments on the cleanup efforts. He said the basic progress — mowing waist-tall grass, which has uncovered forgotten grave sites — has made the grounds more attractive. But signs he posted on the cemetery fence to announce the cleanup effort have been vandalized or ripped down, he said.
It could be that the firm’s effort to tidy up unattended graves has, beyond rubbing some families the wrong way, been difficult to interpret. Sites at a section of children’s graves are spotted with black plastic trash bags containing the items left at the site and collected by workers. The bags allow visitors a chance to reclaim plastic flowers and other belongings that violate the cemetery’s regulations, but the visual creates an unusual scene for uninformed visitors.
Wisniewski, who also owns a handful of Alaska funeral homes including Fairbanks Funeral Home & Crematory, said Birch Hill isn’t trying to hurt anybody. He said the cemetery simply is hoping to start maintaining the grounds — and following its own regulations — to a degree the city hadn’t been able to meet.
“I can’t believe that some people think we want it the old way,” he said. “The right thing ... from the bottom of my heart, that’s all we’ve ever wanted to do.”
Contact staff writer Christopher Eshleman at 459-7582.
Community Discussion
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How does one "own" a non-profit?
It would be appreciated if the News-Miner would do a follow up report about the most egregious violation of the sanctity of the cemetery's decorum- the cell phone tower.
In the last report we read that the tower's placement was in violation of a lease/contract.
Why is the tower still there?
This is a disgrace! Birch Hill Cemetery was a beautiful cemetery BECAUSE of the unique decorations, adornments, and markers. I visited the cemetery on many occasions, although I don't have any loved ones buried there. I visited because I loved the sometimes unique, but always well-chosen, decorations and adornments placed by family members.
In particular, the baby section - with the crib mobiles, dolls, toy trucks, teddy bears, and angels - is a particularly poignant section of the cemetery. I always shed a tear for those tiny souls, and the parents who will always grieve for them.
I am saddened and disgusted that Fairbanks Funeral Home stole personal items from grave sites and discarded them - many that they had broken - into trash receptacles and bags. I feel that these acts are nothing short of vandalism.
The owners say, this "is merely an overdue effort to make the 40-plus acres more appealing to the average visitor"? Who is the average visitor? The families who lovingly placed those items on the graves! And also those who, like me, took the time to visit Birch Hill Cemetery to learn a little something about those who rest there - through trinkets and photos, and statues, and toys.
People leave treasured items at a grave to help them work through the grief process. This is essentially what a cemetery is - it a burial place where loved ones can come and feel connected to their dead not a tourist destination. It is profound disrespect for the so called owners of this cemetery to remove these items no matter how tattered and worn they may appear to the casual visitor.
Words fail me at the moment. All I can say is, shame on you Wisniewski and Jimmy Collins! You have shown THE WORST kind of disrespect to the families who have loved ones buried there!
I do not have a loved one buried at Birch Hill but I visit quite often during the summer and fall. Each and every one of those gravesites touches my heart......
I think this happens quite often lately. Different friends have said things wre missing on some graves.
Why does someone come in to take over all the time. Leave things the way they have always been. How dare you remove anything from the gravesites. These things have been put there for a reason. Why should it be left up to you to remove these things. I think you should be charged with theft! This si one of the worst things I have ever heard. I thought this was OUR town, but apparently not. How do you own Birch Hill?
As a former caretaker of a grave yard there is nothing worse than having to clean up all the TRASH people leave for someone else to clean up. Finally rules were made where fresh floweres were allowed for four days. No plastic, wood, clay, steel, or any items other than flower recepticals. The dead have no use for psychical "things". Crosses and headstones are to locate the grave site, not decorate it.
Trying to deal with greaving familys is not an easy job, and a thankless one. I hope Birch hill will finally become more than an eye sore on the hill. My wife is resting there.
Birch Hill made a national PBS TV special on special grave yards in the US because of what this one man thinks is "unattractive." Another example of people in this community who think they have the right to dictate what this community should look and act like. Customs like leaving stones and items are from various cultures view point as a sign of respect. Those who want a picture perfect graveyard are from another culture. By the way, a non profit can make millions, look at the hospital. The difference between a non profit and for profit, the money has to be reinvested in the organization, not share holders. Profit can be paid out in the form of salaries. Wonder what he is paying himself as head of this non profit.
I am outraged. My "mama" Viv is buried their and she loved her artificial flowers and that why we have placed them there. When I go up there this weekend everything best be there. The things we have placed there are for her not for other visitors viewing. Also being in the "native" section as they call it people place things a little differnt than those who only bring out flowers a time or two a year. I am just appauled right now.
I have 3 close relatives resting at the Birch Hill Cemetery. I was never told about any rules when my most recent relative passed away and was buried in 2005. Of course, the City of Fairbanks was in charge of the Cemetery at that time. Does this mean the new Cemetery owners can change the rules at any time without any notice?
I'm sure that the City of Fairbanks must have something in the agreement made when they turned the Cemetery over to these new people, that the Cemetery will revert back to the City if the new owners do not care for the Cemetery properly. I remember something about that in the newspaper at the time. I wish the City would take back the Cemetery and I intend to contact my Council representatives to see if that would be a possibility.
As everyone knows, fresh flowers last just a few seconds in time compared to plastic flowers. Plastic flowers are beautiful and last well for several years. I try to change them on the gravesites I take care of at least once a year. I also had purchased vases, and replaced them when necessary. They were also plastic and quite attractive.
I was really shocked when I went up to do my usual cleanup and found all the flowers and vases gone. Another lady at the Cemetery told me the people who now owned it had decided to get rid of everything they decided was inappropriate. I said, no, it must have been vandals who did this. She said, no, it was true - the new Cemetery caretakers did it.
I also can't believe the cell tower which was placed close to my son's grave. I'm sure the new owners are being paid a tidy sum for cluttering up the graveyard with something really inappropriate, and they have the nerve to throw away the flowers and other decorations that we placed there.
the thing to do is not to use fairbanks funeral home and creamatory but go to the new one here in town. also a good tar and feathering party for the people who have been stealing things off of the graves might be a good idea. jimmy collins as far as i am concerned you are a grave robber and should be charged with a crime. but beings as you are one of the good ole boys in fairbanks i guess not. did i say tar and feathering party with you being the star. or maybe just running out of town.
Makes it easier to mow? Can't you mow around the graves? Do you want to mow over them? My solution is to plant perennials and they will come back every year and look great! Next will be no above ground markers so they can mow easily. We are losing everything that resembles the past...wow, is that going to be our cities legacy...remember when??? Sad, really sad!
It disgusting that they would remove things from the grave sites of anyone, especially children! How hurt those parents must have been when they got to their child's site and saw a trash bag there. Its terrible! Its not like the grave site is a national monument like Arlington. This is a place where Alaskans come to grieve. If people want to leave things on their loved ones site then they should!! It adds to the character! Is there a petition or something we can do to get it back to the way it was?
Has anyone checked to see if there is a possibility for a class action lawsuit to restore the agreements that were entered into when plots were purchased prior to "the takeover" ?
I have to say I'm not the least bit suprised. I'm from Washington and they do this there too. I remember putting some flowers on my grandpa's grave and as we were leaving the caretaker was right out there taking the flowers away. I wasn't even out of the property yet.
just boycott the funeral home that is back of this stupidity. we now have two funeral homes in this town and maybe we can bankrupt the one behind the stupidity.
For a number of years the Midnight Sun Lions Club cleaned up Birch Hill each year. The one thing that they didn't do was remove things that people brought up to place on the graves of loved ones. Too bad they are not still doing it so that this "theft" would not be ongoing the way it is now.
When we buried my parents on Birch Hill in 2005 (three months apart), part of the paperwork we signed stated that no decorations, including fresh flowers and decorative rocks and gravel, were allowed to be placed on the grave sites. Our funeral director very kindly told us (before our plot purchase) that although people had always decorated their graves, the city could one day decide to strip every grave up there with no warning to families of the deceased. He also warned us not to place anything of value at the grave sites because theft and vandalism were an on going problem. I'm sorry for everyone else's losses, but we buried my parents up on the hill with a very clear understanding of what the cemetary rules were before we made our plot purchase, and that was when the city still serviced Birch Hill and our funeral home of choice was Fairbanks Funeral Home. We were taken care of by a funeral director who is no longer in their employ, but whose assistance was so genuine and caring during our time of distress, that he still remembers and speaks to us as friends when we encounter him and his family out in the community.
That graveyard was special because of what 'was' there. Now, it will look like all others, as with everything else today.
...soccermom....Thanks for the information. I was afraid that might be the case. Of course, during such a time of grief, many people could easily overlook the "fine print". You were fortunate to have a very caring person point out the details to you. I feel bad for the others who did not have the benefit of such personal attention and that should be given to all.
My sister, who handled most of the details of mom and dad's passings, is just as upset as everyone else that momentos have been removed from the graves. Although she knew that this could happen, she "went with the crowd" and placed some very sentimental momentos on the graves. This morning she called me in full panic to drop everything and run up to Birch Hill to save her memories.
What a terrible shame. My great grandmother is buried up there and I like to visit her grave. I've always liked walking around and observing the other resting places. Seeing the mementos and tokens of love left in remembrance was always very touching and special. I would hate to see Birch Hill Cemetery become one of those bland, green expanses of monotony like so many others elsewhere. It makes me sad to think that is what it may become. Removing washed out fake flowers is one thing but this is going too far.
I actually agree with the actions of the cemetery caretakers...the place looked awful and contrary to a lot of comments here...the cemetery is NOT a place for an accumulation of personal items. If you look at deaths on television around the country...vigils and memorials with personal affects are left at the person's home or place of death...not at the graveyard. But I do question the "no silk or plastic" arrangements. This is Fairbanks, Alaska. Most (if not all) Lower 48 cemeteries allow them, as long as they are replaced frequently enough to not show weathering. I believe Birch Hill needs to revisit that regulation. And I also believe that since so many people don't know the rules...that the new owners should send out letters to all current grave site owners reminding them of the rules in this cemetery. Fairbanks has never liked change anyway...let's get through this, make the cemetery a more dignified place for our loved ones and move forward.
Seems to me it is pretty clear. The graveyard has established rules; you agree to abide by those rules when your loved one is buried there; if you won't follow the rules: take your body and go elsewhere. The only class action suit that would be appropriate by families of "residents" of the graveyard is against those who blatantly break the rules.
What's difficult is the change in the rules. Folks can't change where their family member is buried, so they pretty much have to live with new rules. Can't believe you don't allow silk or plastic flower arrangements or other ornaments! Why would you not allow family and friends to leave whatever they want on the grave site? I could understand cleaning up around the graves, but not taking things off of graves. That is essentially private property, and an incredibly sensitive area to be violating. Why mess with it?
Being a "OWNER" of 2 plots on the hill, I can appreciate some effort of clean up (grass cutting, trash cans around the grounds) but the removal of items from ANY grave is just a further slap in the face of those of us who are and/or have been dealing with our losses. The cell tower is tall and an eyesore, but it is (In my opinion) far enough off to the side that it doesn't bother me overall. Some graves are a bit gaudy with ornamentation, and some are just plain overgrown and MIA (for lack of better terms) but they are part of us as a community.
We have been tearing down our history and destroying in the name of progress around here for the 20+ years I have lived here, that I am almost ashamed to say I live here anymore. In my opinion the plots that have been "cleaned" up, the caretakers charged with maintaining should make an attempt to contact the families to return items otherwise I would like to make a citizens/moral arrest for the desecration of hallowed ground and just a plain and obvious slap in the face of Fairbanks people (deceased and living).
Also Mr. Caretaker, my contract that I received when i purchased my "plots" stated that a small marker would be placed with basic information of the said deceased on the burial site, why am I still waiting (over 10 years) to see my late wife's plaque? the only real defined markers I can go by...is the ornamentation on a neighboring plot to locate it, or am I to lose some more memories of my first years in Fairbanks Alaska?
I agree as well with oldakcuss. The place was an eyesore. There was many a times i had gone up there to pay my respect and then to see people getting drunk or what not on/around the graves (horrible!) Then to see the things that have been there for years and looking like they should be in a trash can. This place is a Cemetery. Not a Locker for personal affects. Leave that stuff at your house so you can honor your lost loved one privately. I believe the actions the caretakers did were just.
News Flash!!!
These people didn't go into the business of death because they couldn't get a job a McDonalds. They were called. Could you do it?
I just got off the phone (2nd time today) with a kind, considerate, helpful young man at Fairbanks Funeral Home. No names. The problem on the Hill is much more complicated than any of us know. I was not in the best of moods considering my reason for calling.
My husband died July 9th, 1984 two hours after we came home from a trip to celebrate our 1st. anniversary. I was alone at home with him, it took 6 months to get the autopsey report. I did everything right, it was just his time.
This is a real bad week for me. Back on track...Birch Hill lost his grave site. It is Gone. When it rains, it pours. This was a monsoon of emotion. I do not blame them.
We talked about the bobbles, the importance of that lost but found jersey shirt, the importance or remembrance.
Walk a day in their shoes.
Work with them, they are not bad people.
MrsS
its ok to pick trash from grave yard but to take stuff off that love ones have put there because they wanted that thing s there. How do you take toy truck from that baby grave or that baby doll and put it in a bag like garbage. How disgusting to you folk who clean up.I lived here 46 years and am very sad that we are a special place any more ,we are like every other place and that sad .I like being from some place different but not any more we are like any other place .And to the care taker of birch hill when you die and you are burried on the hill just let your loves leave any thing on your grave to make them feel a little willl make sure that nothing is there.and people who take angels off a grave they should go to hell to burn forever and ever
I have an idea elli, BLACK WATER MIGHT BE THE PERFECT BUNCH TO KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE PROBLEMS YOU MENTIONED!
So, if I BUY a plot to be buried in, I'm not really buying my own little piece of land to have done with as I wish? How can you sell someone a piece of land, then change the rules after the owner is dead? And who are these other people whom you are fixing the place up for? Seems like those who are buried there and have loved ones buried there, WANT it the way it was. Who are you to change the rules or to deem what looks nice and what does not? Frankly, if you stole items from my grave, I would hope that my family would have you brought up on theft charges.
Cry, cry, cry when we can't get cell reception on that side of town. Cry, cry, cry when the issue is fixed with a tower that you don't even notice in the cemetery.
Cry when the cemetery looks like garbage, and cry when the caretaker cleans it up to look respectful.
There are hard working people trying to look out for everyone at the cemetery and instead of thanks, he gets threats to "tar and feather" him. Mr. Collins and Mr. Wisniewski are both good men, I have the privilege of knowing both of them personally. The slander against them here is what I find appalling.
The cemetery was a sad excuse FreeDarfur, and the changes have nothing to do with culture. Only a fool would assume that.
BigRob, yes you have to mow over most graves.
Sorry about the McDonalds comment. That was unitentionally rude.
So? Anyone with a beef want to form a volunteer group to help these folks do their job (one none of us ever considered doing)?
Just asking...and offering.
chirp...chirp..
I'll pack a lunch.
MrsS
aka J the B's Wife
To everyone that posted a negative comment on the issue of Birch Hill, your ignorance upsets my stomach.
The caretakers are doing a wonderful job that has been neglected for many years! Things change in this world day to day. ACCEPT IT! QUIT CRYING! All the hateful comments towards the caregivers and manager are ridiculous. Blame all your life's problems on what a few good men are doing.
Clean it up people
I remember watching on KUAC a nationaly broadcasted program on American cemetaries in vaious communities across the nation. The last one covered on the program was Birch Hill Cemetary. It was just awfull. By far the worst cemetary the program had covered in the United States. Very, very disghusting. Good to know something positive is happening in that regard.
I understand everyone's frustration with what is happening here but after reading the PDF file that FFH&C sent me, it appears that no rules were actually changed. The City of Fairbanks just did not enforce them and purchasers of plots were not fully advised as to what they were agreeing to when they signed the paperwork. Read ALL of the comments, not just the article....I am sympathetic though and glad I have no relatives laid to rest in this cemetery.
P_D...ten fold blessings back to you and yours. I sent you a private email.
MrsS
I have visited the cemetery on several occasions to visit friends that have passed away. I could not believe how people would put place stuff all over the graves. It looked like a garbage dump!! I'm sorry but in New England we do not do this and the cemeteries are beautifully maintained. It creates a less distracting environment making it easier to pray.
I myself will not be buried at Birch Hill. Hopefully many more years to go, but my dream is to have a private family cemetery.
One thing I also noticed is that there are LOTS of areas where no grass is growing. It would be nice to have those areas reseeded.....could this be an Eagle Scout project for someone??
Jan. 1st of 2009 I gave birth to a very premature baby girl she weighed only 8 ounces and her cremated remains even less June 8th I went to birch cemetary and placed her ashes with my Grandfather so that my precious baby would be able to rest with her Great Grandfather. I am terrified to think that her ashes and the small placard that I placed at his grave side may have been removed and discarded. As I now must muster up the strength to go and see what "mess" may have been cleared away.
The deceased have no voice. We do. We also have obligations to honor to our ancestors, children, selves. Whatever trinkets one leaves has meaning to them, and the deceased. So what if it doesn't appease our aesthetive perspective?
It's a horrible site to maintain. Even harder to protect from true vandalism. I understand both sides. I'm living it. This place has meaning to so many of us.
Can't there be a compromise?
MrsS
"aesthetive", oops, not a real word. Aethesthetic is.
Now I realize why I can't bury my father & daughter. In my home I can embrace my memorys and share them with my son. I have their ashes and have never felt comfortable burying them in a cemetery. I could imagine what the families are going through, todays world is about what's pretty, not what's real.
I went to Birch Hill this evening after 9:00pm and was shocked by what I saw. There has been massive amounts of grave clearing. The only graves with garbage bags of treasured momentos is a very small section of childrens graves as you drive round the first bend going up the hill. There is also a massive disparity in the uniformity of cleaned grave sites. Some graves were left with visably faded plastic flowers, while in the same section, graves that I knew had previously had plastic flowers were stripped bare. Some graves have had all momentos removed, some have only had momentos removed and the flowers were left behind, some remain untouched next those whose life stories were stripped bare. There are beautiful hand made crosses left lying on the ground or resting at cock-eyed angles against weathered headstones. The calling of this action "done out of respect for all families and friends, to “preserve a serene, dignified setting” that fits everyone’s tastes" is an utter debacle. While done with the best of intentions, Birch Hill Cemetery Inc. has lost the respect and trust of its customer base with these actions and has probably done irrepairable harm to its financial bottom line. Good luck straightening this one out guys.
Maybe if all the people who have loved ones buried at Birch Hill had taken care of the weeding, mowing and kept the trash picked up it wouldn't have come to this. I was up there a couple months ago and the place looked like a dump, people of Fairbanks should be ashamed of the way the cemetery looked and its been this way for a long time, you only have yourselves to blame, so quit your whining.
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