Tombstone Tuesday--Goodwell Cemetery

Goodwell Cemetery is located sort of on the East Central portion of the county. As these pictures show, our photographer picked a cheerier time to visit and take pictures. Where the last few cemetery photos were taken very late summer or fall, these seem to have been captured much sooner.
With all the freshly planted flowers and the bright silk flowers, I would dare to say these pictures were taken shortly after Memorial Day. Another striking thing about these first two views of the cemetery are the number of modern stones and graves that have flowers. Clearly in current usage and well maintained.
That isn't to say all is well. But even this old stone, while unreadable, has had a planter of flowers in the last year or so. A second look has me pondering. The letters do not look engraved, but I think this is another home made stone, with the letters and dates made by pressing small pebbles into the wet cement to make the letters. It is almost clearer in this smaller picture than in my blown up version. Try it--stand back and kind of squint. Does it say Mother, and 188--? Or is my imagination on overdrive?
This picture provides some contrast. The two stones for the McDonald family stand neat and readable. The grass is trimmed and they have gotten the flag for Nathan McDonald who served in the 7th Indiana Cavalry standing nicely. Now look at an almost identical pair in the background. The taller stone is a little tipsy, and while the soldier there does have his flag, between the stones is an oak shrub. It threatens to take over the stones one day. (Remember last week's picture?
Here is another pair that at first glimpse look the same. Then I noted the grave cloth draped across one corner of the book in the picture below. The stone above has delicate tracery, in the shape of a stylized tree, above the name of George A. Edwards.
In contrast, the Reynolds stone, even though it has the draped cloth, is much simpler. And the only thing readable is the single name.
I could not resist this picture. The stone a simple slab that appears to be cement, with no carving visible. And for an urn, an old metal bucket. Nothing new is planted in it, so maybe those who remembered this person is gone. But I love the ingenuity expressed here.
And another more current grave to close with. This grave for Victor Wilson, a private in the US Marines. Died nearly 13 years ago. Yet, as evidenced by recent flowers and extra flags, he is clearly remembered still.
"Gone fishing,
Be back
Dark thirty."
Happy fishing Victor.