Tuesday, October 1, 2019

T Stands for Seaside Cemetery

On the first day of Autumn which felt more like a glorious first day of Summer, I asked my friend Teague if we could take a trip to Gloucester, Massachusetts. I wanted to visit my friend, Darrell's grave at Seaside Cemetery and then we could find some place for lunch and something to do. 

I met Darrell when I was in computer school. Darrell was 2 or 3 classes ahead of mine. A new class began each month. One day, shortly after I began, I was on my way home and my car wouldn't start. One of Darrell's classmate's saw I was having trouble, and she went and got Darrell to help me. He had a set of jumper cables and got my car started. He was worried that I might have trouble on the way home so he insisted I take the jumper cables with me. He figured if I had the cables, and the car conked out, I could flag down a passing motorist for a jump.

The next day during break, I returned the cables to Darrell. As we got to my car, one of the tires was flat. No big deal. I'd just go in and call AAA. Darrell would have none of that and he insisted on changing the tire. The lug nuts were on good and tight and he was having difficulty getting them loose.He was on his knees and getting dirty. We had a dress code and I told him he was going to get marked down if he was all dirty. I'd just call AAA. He said it had become a matter of pride. He couldn't let it be known he couldn't change a little girl's tire (Darrell was 13 years my senior) and have other fellas in school teasing him because he couldn't change a tire. After a time, he got the tire changed, didn't get called down for his appearance, and we became fast friends. He became a big brother. Sadly, Darrell contracted leukemia. Put up a good fight, but was taken too soon at 48 years old.

After he passed, his wife told me she was having a bench instead of a headstone. She said she wanted a spot where she could sit and visit with him.I had never been to the cemetery and told Teague we were looking for a bench. The cemetery wasn't that big, but there were several benches. Teague found his.


His wife had passed. After Darrell passed we lost touch with each other.


The cardinals made me smile.


As did the sentiment on the stone: These two friends came to rest, Two hearts sharing their loving nest.

Darrell was especially fond of teddy bears. He still had his original Teddy from when he was a little fella. I brought a Teddy bear pin and left it under the bench.

A visit to the cemetery wouldn't be a visit for me without checking out the neighbors.


Someone loved Scottie dogs



I liked the swans


A nod to Gloucester's fishing trade


 A beautiful lighthouse


 Someone is well loved and remembered. I was very tempted to relocate the Teddy to Darrell's grave 😉. The caretaker was busy watering flowers on graves. Came over to tell me the cobblestones were from a Gloucester street from the days when trains were pulled by teams of horses.


A very unusual stone. No names or dates just Grace.


Another unusually shaped stone with beautiful carved roses.


I've never seen a grave stone bird bath in any of the cemeteries I've visited. This is also my drinks reference for this post. A drink for the birds and critters


We loved Scott's gone fishin'


and Frank's place.



This marker is almost hidden by holly bushes


Sweet angels


Someone leaves painted stones


Another lighthouse


A police officer and hockey fan


A pug dog


A young man named Joshua and his derby hat.



Joshua's bench


The sign says Joshua's tree. 


Someone decorated these four graves for harvest and/or Halloween


A sweet lamb for a baby


Frederick has lots of visitors


I wonder if the Maltese Falcon was a favorite movie.


Sweet cherub

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

44 comments:

  1. That's a touching story about your friend Darrell. Pity he passed so early, it's hard to lose good friends. Love his unusual grave marker. It's a beautiful cemetery where he is buried. Happy T Day, Valerie

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    1. I was glad the cemetery was small otherwise we might never have found Darrell.

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    1. Indeed. Mostly grateful I got to meet him, and spend some time with him.

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  3. I was almost crying by the end of your friend's story-so sad I have always thought the special ones are called home sooner.
    this is such a lovely cemetery, and I loved the benches-and I love that the caretakers allow flowers and more-most where I have been don't allow it-easier maintenence for the staff.
    a special post for T hugs Kathy

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    1. I have never seen a cemetery filled with as much personal mementos as this one. Made me smile. Maybe having no plantings and stuff makes the job easier for the caretakers, but the grounds are just so sterile and sad.

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  4. Sounds like he was a wonderful man and wonderful friend. I love the idea of a bench instead of a headstone.
    There were some very creative stones in the cemetery weren't there?

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    1. Very creative stones. I've never seen anything like them.

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  5. What a sad and touching tale of your friend, CJ. I've never seen a cemetery like that with so many unusual grave markings and so many personal touches. Many of them had tears welling in my eyes.

    Happy T-day! Eileen xx

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    1. The touching tributes made by loved ones left behind made me cry and smile at the same time.

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  6. Love your great cemetery photos. Thanks for a great first day of October post! Happy T Day!

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  7. Such a lovely tribute to your dear friend! I loved hearing your fond memories, he was obviously a wonderful person and was taken from this world way to early, that's no age at all. I love the cardinals too 😀. Take care and wishing you a Happy T Day! Big hugs, Jo x

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    1. Cardinals usually make me think of my folks. There are two pair in the yard and now besides Ma and Dad, I'll be visited by Peg and Darrel 😊

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  8. what a truly touching story about your friendship with Darrell. And how wonderful you were able to find and visit his grave site to honor him. Nice idea to have a bench. Loved seeing all the sites. I'd love to visit Gloucester sometime... I have a blogger friend who lives there- and she paints rocks and leaves them around her town for people to find:) Thanks for sharing this special story and visit, and happy T day!

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    1. Next time Teague and I head to Gloucester,I'll have to be on the look out for the painted rocks.

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  9. So sweet and sad at the same time...but so pleased you found Darrell.

    That does look a very nice cemetery.

    All the best Jan

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    1. I'm glad the cemetery was small so if we had to roam the whole cemetery to find Darrell it wouldn't have taken too long. The cemetery didn't have an office to inquire where graves are located.

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  10. Such a variety of markers :) The bench idea was brilliant, and I like the other unusual ideas, too, like the bird bath. Sweet. Happy T Tuesday!

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  11. This is a sad post. Anyone who dies at 48 was taken way too soon. I am glad you were able to visit. We have a cemetary near us with some interesting stones. They remind me of these. I liked seeing these CJ. Hope it was a happy T day. hugs-Erika

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    1. He was so handsome, very tall (6' 4.5"), and strong. He was a Master swimmer and competed in events like the 400 m. butterfly. Just a shock and so unfair to see him waste away from leukemia. 😿

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  12. You had left me a comment about Darrell loving Teddy Bears. How sad that he passed so young. He was a kind, caring person, to help you out the way he did, when you first met him. I'm sure he was that way with everyone. That is a lovely cemetery. I like the graves you showed. Some were unique. The pumpkins decorating some of the graves made me realize I should take a trip to some of the local cemeteries to see if I can find something similar. (I remember seeing a grave with Christmas decorations last year, so they might have Harvest/Halloween decorations for it right now.) Happy T-Day!

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    1. Darrell gave me several Teddy bears as I had collected them. At one point, I had well over a hundred bears as people get carried away when you collect something. My girlies played with them and then they were sent to charity for other children to enjoy. I did keep one Teddy that Darrell had given me.

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  13. What an incredibly unique cemetery. Benches are allowed in cemeteries in Wichita, but flowers, even plastic or silk, must be removed 10 days after they are placed there, or they are thrown away by caretakers. Also, NO stones, no rocks, no nothing allowed. I LOVE the cemetery where Darrell was buried. It's so warm and inviting.

    I appreciated the beautiful back story you gave us about Darrell, too. Seems he was a real angel in his own right. Thanks for taking us to Seaside Cemetery, finding Darrell's bench, and that unusual birdbath you shared with us for T this Tuesday.

    I am SO sorry it has taken me so long to visit. I'm having a terrible time with my internet. I called ATT three times today and they told me it might be I need a new modem. However, after I got frustrated enough to threaten to go elsewhere, I was suddenly back online. Go figure.

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    1. Seaside Cemetery is awesome. It didn't feel sad or lonely the way most cemeteries feel.

      I'm glad AT&T got you up and running. Keep threatening to go elsewhere if you run into more problems.

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  14. I want to get cremated but I might get buried just so I can have a cool headstone or bird bath.

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    1. If you're Catholic, and are cremated, technically your ashes have to be buried so you'd be getting the best of both worlds. 😉

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  15. I am so sorry about your friend CJ! Bless his heart! I love the bench for him! You found some beautiful tombstones! That Grace one is very interesting! Love the bird bath one! Big Hugs!

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    1. The Grace stone is a mystery. First name? Last name? There are not dates or other names on the stone.

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  16. A touching and moving post.
    Yvonne

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  17. What a wonderful story about your friend. He sounds like he was a real gentleman. That bench was a great idea.
    Happy Belated Tea Day,
    Kate

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    1. He was not only a gentleman, but a gentle man as well.

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  18. Wow a lot of interesting grave sites. That is a sweet story you told about your friend. I enjoyed the post.

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    1. Thanks for dropping by and reading my ramblings. 😊

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  19. I´m so sad for your friends CJ, it´s tender story for sure. The cementery is very beautiful and special, thank you very much for sharing.
    I wish you a very nice Friday, and send biig hugs,
    Caty

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    1. Thank you, Caty. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, too.

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  20. I find gravestones fascinating too. And I enjoyed going around this cemetery with you.
    Darrell's story is very moving. So sad he died young. Thanks for sharing.
    Happy belated T-Day,
    Hugs,
    Lisca

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    1. This cemetery was fascinating as the unusual stones and things left gave you a glimpse into the person's personality.

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  21. I'm pleased that you found Darrel's bench but sad to see that his wife had also died! If graves can be described as beautiful then that is what I will say you found! Chrisx

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    1. The cardinal motif on the bench is so like them as they were always together.

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