Catholic Cemeteries completes website of burial records
By Eileen Jevis, staff writer
Memorial Day is when most family and friends visit the graves of loved ones, followed by Mother’s Day, Easter, and Father’s Day, according to Tina Smith, family service manager of the Catholic Cemeteries for the Diocese. This Memorial Day, those who want to visit the graves of a loved one can easily find the plot number and location thanks to four years of extensive research, documentation and digitalization of records of those buried in the 16 Catholic cemeteries across five counties. The grave locations are now accessible and searchable by the public at www.syracusecatholiccemeteries.org.
The Catholic Cemeteries team used a host of resources to validate or complete data records to identify the deceased. “We have taken over 100 years of written information and hand-drawn documents for the 16 cemeteries, and for the most part, manually entered the information of over 373,000 burial plots into our database,” Smith said. The process alleviates the need for visitors to drive to the cemetery to find the paper documents, she explained.
The team also focused its research on the graves of veterans. Smith said they are making progress on finding the branch of service in which the veterans served, and any medals or commendations that were bestowed upon them. Smith said the team is still working on identifying veterans in all the cemeteries. It’s labor-intensive research, but to date, the team has found over 700 veteran graves in Sacred Heart Cemetery alone.
“Our veterans and their stories are often remarkable and touching,” Smith said. “As a way to honor them and share their stories, the team is constantly adding and updating information that ensures that all souls within the cemeteries have been accounted for and their lives have not been forgotten.”
Each Memorial Day and Veterans Day, the American Legion, with the help of the Boy Scouts and other volunteers, places flags on the graves of our veterans. Smith said the American Legion in East Syracuse needs volunteers to help place flags at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Dewitt. They are looking for groups or individuals to help with the process. Call 315-437-4727 Wednesday through Friday between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m. or Saturday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. for more information or to sign up to volunteer.
Last fall, Oswego resident Lisa Giglio, who volunteers with Wreaths Across America, contacted Smith to request approval to place wreaths in St. Peter’s Cemetery in Oswego. More than 125 wreaths were placed last year due to generous donations. Giglio hopes to surpass that number and to also include St. Paul’s in Oswego.
To purchase a wreath online, go to wreathsacrossamerica.org or contact Ellen McCauley at [email protected] for an order form.
Now that the records of those buried in our Catholic Cemeteries are available online, there is an opportunity to add photos, memories and reflections to the deceased member’s document. An online form is available to share a memory or upload a photo or video. The team will review the submissions for appropriateness.
Visit the diocesan website and select menu option “Locate a Loved One” to find records of family and friends. For additional information or assistance, call (315) 475-4639 or email [email protected].
