A new road has been added to the east side of Oakwood Cemetery. InkFreeNews photo by Lasca Randels.

By Lasca Randels
InkFreeNews

WARSAW —  Lack of a quorum at Oakwood Cemetery’s Board of Regent’s April 1 meeting delayed an official vote on a co-mingling cremains vault request.

In February, Oakwood Sexton Hal Heagy told board members he received a request for an underground full-size vault that would contain ashes from various family members.

Heagy said the gentleman making the request owns four lots at the cemetery, along with his brother. The family would like the cremains put in an underground vault and a stone placed with the names engraved.

All board members have voiced support for the request, Heagy said. 

Heagy spoke with Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer about the situation and it was agreed that a formal vote would be best since this is something new.

“At one of these meetings we’ll just get it on the minutes and take a vote,” Heagy said. “I can see this catching on somewhat…I think it’s a good thing personally. I think it’ll save land if more people want to be cremated and families want to be together.”

There will be some rules implemented after this first one, Heagy said. The stone for co-mingling cremains might have to be a little taller to fit all the names on it so those may have to be placed in a back row. 

In another matter, the new road on the east side of the cemetery, Sycamore, has been marked with lot locations. Most of the area has been filled in and seeded.

The new section will provide approximately 1,100 new burial spaces.

Heagy told board members he has a list of names of people who want to buy lots in that area and others who want to transfer their lots over to the new section.

In other news: 

• The purchase of a Tool Cat has been completed and it should be delivered in about three weeks.
• The next meeting will be at 5 p.m. May 6 at Warsaw City Hall.

Oakwood Cemetery monument