Raul, left, and Roberto Martinez work together to properly level a headstone in the Union Cemetery in Turkey Creek Township.

SYRACUSE — It is meticulous or detailed work, but also much needed especially in rural cemeteries. Headstones have fallen over, broken apart or have become embedded in the ground.

Fortunately, though, there are businesses specializing in restoring headstones in rural cemeteries. One example is the work done in the Union Cemetery by Stonehugger Cemetery Restoration Inc., based in Nashville, Ind. Union Cemetery is located on CR 1000N, west of SR 13 in Turkey Creek Township.

Union, also sometimes referred to as Strieby Cemetery, was the fourth cemetery to be restored in the township, noted Barb Griffith, township trustee. The others in the last year or so were Bethel Crow, Byers and Weybright. Stonehugger has moved on to Cable Cemetery off CR 500E, also in Turkey Creek Township.

The oldest known burial in Union is that of Elizabeth Strieby, who died in 1869. There is also a potter’s field section on the west end for those who could not afford to pay for headstones, Griffith noted.

Restoring a cemetery involves leveling the bases of the stones and cleaning the stones, noted Raul Martinez, employee of Stonehugger. Some of the stones have been broken into pieces or are falling or leaning over. They must be put back together carefully, Martinez noted.

Foundations are poured if needed and stones sometimes need to be reset. At times probing is done to find missing stones. “They may have to dig them up to find them,” Griffith said. Martinez noted one piece of a missing stone in Union Cemetery was found in a nearby farm field.

Epoxy is used when putting stones back together and simply a brush and water for cleaning. “Chemicals are not good on marble,” Martinez said.

Helen Wildermuth is the owner of Stonehugger. She said work is done in cemeteries as far west as Iowa, east to Ohio and north to Michigan. It is her 15th year of doing this type of work.

She commented it started with an interest in genealogy and visiting cemeteries to research ancestors. “I saw there was such a need for headstones to be cared for,” she said.

Wildermuth went to a workshop to learn more about restoring tombstones and “from there it just kind of took off.”

When Stonehugger completes a project, they photograph and document each of the stones they restore and provide that information to the township trustee. “It is very rewarding and fulfilling work,” Wildermuth said.

Prior to starting her business, Wildermuth had been a homemaker and worked in factories, among other things.

Manuel Gaspar does some mortar work around a tombstone at Union Cemetery.