Dorothy Christopherson Tytgat
Winnipeg, MB
The Grund Cemetery in the Rural Municipality of Argyle, in Manitoba, is located one-half mile east of Grund Frelsis Lutheran Church, which was built in 1889. The establishment of a cemetery preceded this as the land for the cemetery was donated by Johannes Sigurdson in 1882, and the first burial was that of Áslaug Sigurdson. This means that the cemetery is now 137 years old. That is a long time! And the state of many of the gravestones reflects that great length of time. These graves are in need of restoration as they are either leaning over or sinking, some to the point that the stone is barely visible.
In honour of the pioneers who are buried there, this work must be carried out. As is the case in any cemetery, the cemetery board is not responsible for the upkeep of each grave. That is a responsibility of the family. However, because of the urgent need for this work to be done, the board has consulted with and engaged the services of Rapid City Memorials to carry out the restorative work. This entails removing the whole memorial, packing the ground with gravel, epoxying the memorial, if broken, and then reinstalling the memorial and cleaning up the ground around it. This work, of course, comes at a cost. The cemetery board operates through donations alone, with no other funding available. Thus raising funds is a necessity.
This write-up is one means of putting a call out for help to any who have relatives buried in this cemetery, or who are descendants of pioneers buried here. Would you be willing to make a donation for whatever amount feels right for you? If you would like to inquire about the state of a grave for a particular relative or relatives, you may contact Lorraine Somerville at lsomerville@mynetset.ca. Lorraine has a list of gravestones that are particularly in need of repair. But even if a grave of your family member is in good condition, would you still consider giving a donation?
Also, we’re soliciting the support of those who don’t have relatives buried in this historic cemetery, but who would nevertheless like to help. A donation of any amount would be gratefully received.
Donation cheques should be made payable to the R.M. of Argyle, Box 40, Baldur, MB, R0K 0B0. On the bottom of the cheque, please note that the donation is for Grund Cemetery. Donations over $20 will receive a tax receipt. Any and all donations will be most appreciated.