Respecting ancestors
I would like to commend you for the good coverage you gave to the Newark Cemetery Visiting Day (“Newark graves evoke memories of another time,” Sept. 16). I was one of the people who attended and was quoted in the article. I would like to clarify and elaborate on my comments.
While I did use the word “mess” in referring to the condition of the cemeteries, I did not mean to imply that the cemetery owner had been neglectful. In fact, I thought the cemeteries were in surprisingly good shape and looked well tended. There were a few areas on Grove Street where some of the stones are toppled, but much of the damage may have been caused by age, not vandalism.
Maybe it was because of the timing — the same weekend as 9/11 — but as I was walking past the headstones, I was thinking about the victims of that tragic day and the Holocaust. So many never had a final resting place or a stone to commemorate their lives. In honor of them, it’s even more important for us to not take these cemeteries in Newark for granted. I think we all need to show more respect and make sure that our ancestors’ graves are well cared for.
Ruth Ball
Somerset
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