Memorial Weekend 2010

Memorial weekend began Thursday.  After giving my penultimate tour (thanks, Clay) of the year it was convenient to stop by a plant nursery for some marigolds and small mums and then on to Salt Lake City Cemetery.

 William and Henrietta/Harriet Howard Hunter plots.

 Look what happens when a seedling cedar grows up atop a grave site--or maybe it was a wee birdie that dropped a seed that sprouted.  In any event William Hunter's grave stone is missing, perhaps washed away by flooding of years past.  Polly and I have made a commitment to make a match with Henrietta's and place it this summer. 

I was dismayed to see that the neighboring new marker had encroached upon Great Grandfather's space.  Now I see it as a plus.  What we have in mind to set will fit just right and look very authentic for the original.

Robert Hunter and Aunt Jessie Hunter McKinlay's family plots.

Uncle Robert was the first of the John and Mary Preston Hunter children to immigrate to the U.S. in 1913.  Within six months he died of appendicitis in Brigham City and buried in the McKinlay plot.  At Hunter Family face book group I've posted the memorabilia sent to Scotland commemorating his passing if you want to take a look.  The combination of what is said by the missionaries that knew Robert and his family and the newspaper obituaries with the photos of the day prompted me to go to the cemetery and this time not just be there but to leave flowers.  We'll make a marker for Robert in the style of Henrietta's for his grave site.

I didn't realize until I was a student at BYU that I had not only an uncle, but great grandparents, and great aunts that had lived in Salt Lake City.  The first immigrated in 1892.  I started to see that I had "pioneers" in my family.

Interestingly, this morning I finally found William and Henrietta's 2ggranddaughter with whom I had corresponded on our family genealogy before my move from Montana and her change of surname.  Not only her, but her two sisters and father.  Hopefully we'll see them show up on Hunter Family and learn more about their ggrandfather that stayed in Massachusetts when the rest of the family continued to Utah.  Perhaps they will have not only stories to tell but pictures to share.

The saga continues on.

Friday was a nice day to drive to Franklin and look forward to sitting on my bench in thought, planting marigolds and painting the bench.  Threat of drizzle interrupted  the planting for an attempt at painting while sitting and contemplating the years gone by.  The cemetery looked lovely and the mature trees are leafing out.  Diane and Lee are both well and inquired of all of you.

Note the robin egg on Dad's marker.  It had dropped by the bench and seemed at home on the marker.

Karma and B. R. and the bench. 

Tomorrow our local families are coming to lunch and swim on opening weekend--and the temps are forecast to be warm and clear.  Hooray!  Let summer begin.