One Man’s Preservation Battle

March 8th, 2008

It was with great interest that I watched this video on a piece done by WBRZ reporter Michele Krumm. The report was about Clinton, Louisiana's Ward 3 Justice of the Peace, Dewey DeLee, and his painstaking efforts to save a dying and near-forgotten cemetery in East Feliciana Parish.

Besides a family tradition of JoP's, DeLee obviously holds a special place in his heart for local history. He has sacrificed time and money in the past twenty years in his attempts to preserve and record the deceased in Clinton Confederate Cemetery in Clinton.

Many of the headstones are unreadable, the march of time obscuring names and dates. Still others are missing; a thermal imaging scan DeLee had done of the area showed over 650 unmarked graves in the old burial ground, which dates back to the 1820s. Stories handed down for generations claim mass graves of Civil War soldiers reside here, and DeLee's scan shows there is likely some merit to this old tale.

Anyone taking on the enormous task of trying to save and preserve an old cemetery has my respect and admiration. It's by no means an easy task, and certainly one that holds few accolades. Most of the work may go long unnoticed, but to the descendants of those buried in this old cemetery, DeLee's personal crusade is one they hold close to their heart.

Any help you might be able to provide - informational or monetary - I urge you to contact Mr. DeLee. Currently, I have only his P.O. Box address and phone number to his Clinton Justice of the Peace Office, but I am attempting to get more contact information for him. As soon as I do, I will let you know.

Cemetery Preservation with a Twist

March 7th, 2008

Between Friday and Saturday, March 6-7, The Foundation for Historical Louisiana will be putting on a "show" at the chronicled and venerable Magnolia Cemetery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Dubbed Magnolia Memories, actors will play the parts of seven former movers and shakers of Baton Rouge and Louisiana history at their final resting places. Audience members will follow the actors from grave to grave and be able to enjoy a performance written to give you some insight into the person whose grave you are standing at.

The affair begins at 6:45pm on both evenings, and the events will follow one another throughout the evening (each show will only be able to include a certain number of people).

It's a wonderful way to educate the public on our city's, and our state's, colorful history and heritage as well as helping to preserve a beautiful, old cemetery and important piece of our history (ticket sales and proceeds go to the preservation of Magnolia Cemetery). Tickets are $25 for members of the Foundation, and $35 for non-members. You can call (225) 387-2464 to reserve yours now; seating is limited, so be sure to call and order your tickets if you'd like to attend.

For more information, I recommend watching this video, which aired on WBRZ's 2une In last month. It is an interview with two of the directors and actors of the show, Robert Wilson and Neena Kelfstrom, and explains not only the reasoning behind the show, but expounds on some of the important reasons behind cemetery, and history, preservation. You can also visit 225BatonRouge.com for an in-depth write-up on the event, Magnolia's Memories V.

Check back this weekend for my own review of this special and exciting event!

In Lieu of Flowers…

March 7th, 2008

On March 6, 2008 at approximately 8:45am MST, the mother of one of my dearest friends, Gaylene DePorter, lost her courageous battle against Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma; a rare form of thyroid cancer that spread, unchecked, into her liver.

Surrounded by her loved ones, Gaylene was aware of what was happening to her and before she slipped into a hepatic encephalopathy coma, she was able to tell them all that she loved them.

This feisty, vibrant, and strong woman will be laid to rest on Saturday, March 8th. In lieu of flowers, her family asks that donations be made, in her name, to either The American Cancer Society or The Lance Armstrong Foundation.

I, too, ask that you contribute - even if it is just a couple of dollars - to one or the other. In the past year, I have seen three people now lose their lives to cancer. First, Jenny Martin - entirely too young to see her life ended. Then, a co-worker, Kenneth Robichaux, that we all called "Robi"; a brilliant and charming man the world is much the less for losing. Now, my dear friend's mother - life snipped short in her prime, golden years.

I once vehemently decried to a close friend of mine, "I hate cancer!" He, an active member of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation ever since his wife had become a breast cancer survivor, said something that has stuck with me through the years. "Yes,", he answered, "but what are you doing about it?"

We can despise and rally against the awful disease that claims so many lives - young and old - or we can do something about it. A few dollars spared to the on-going research for a cure is the very least we can do in this battle that every one of us has a stake in. Cancer is something that affects everyone's life - whether you have had it, know someone who has, or watched a loved one suffer through it - all of us have come into contact with this deadly and terrible disease in one form or another.

Cancer is something we all fear and despise, yet shall we stand idly by while it claims the lives of children and adults at alarming rates? Or shall we do something - no matter how small - to take a stand against this deadly killer? Please, make a donation - do it for Jenny. Do it for Robi. Do it for Gaylene. Do it for all of the millions of lives lost, young and old, and the millions more whose lives were shattered by this disease. Just, please, do it.

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