08/28/2026
During the pandemic, I started following a girl who visited cemeteries and cleaned headstones, and I remember thinking, I would love to do something like that someday.
In 2025, I finally had the opportunity. I helped clean the cemetery at the Soldiers & Sailors Home and was honored to be part of their reveal celebration. It was such a special experience.
I’m a little embarrassed that I didn’t realize Erie Cemetery had been doing this all summer 😅 But as we approached one month since my dad’s passing, it kept popping up in my feed. Then my sister sent it to me, and I knew I needed to do it.
So, to honor Dad, we chose a rather challenging one. 😅 As we started uncovering layers of the years, we discovered that a Mason by the name of James Williams was laid to rest here. I’d love to do a little research on him when I have the chance and learn more about the person behind the name.
There was something incredibly peaceful about putting on my headphones, listening to Pink Floyd, and spending a beautiful summer evening in a beautiful cemetery, restoring a little piece of history and honoring someone who came before us.
It was surprisingly cathartic—and it felt like a really beautiful way to honor Dad. 🫶🏻
If you’d like to learn how to properly clean headstones at Erie Cemetery, I’d love to coordinate a little group of us to go together.
If you’re interested, comment below and let me know what evenings or weekends you’re generally available. Maybe we can spend some time together uncovering a little history, one stone at a time—and perhaps discover a few stories along the way. Because if there’s one thing Dad would have loved, it would have been finding out who these people were, what they did, and the stories behind the names.
I think he would have loved this. 🪦🫶🏻
