To the editor:

The city maintains a well-kept cemetery for which I am grateful. It also has a brochure giving rules and further regulations about the cemetery.

One specifically is Sec. 10-181. Within that paragraph is stated “unlawful to have a temporary marker after one year.” I doubt if many know about this rule.

It seems that temporary markers, bearing the name of the deceased and date of birth and death are removed.

Not knowing of this rule, I was amazed and distressed upon going to the location of my daughter’s grave, to find the marker removed. Her two daughters live in other towns, and it had taken some time and finance for them to help me decide on a permanent marker. That marker was ordered in the spring.

Not finding the marker, I went to the city office where the personnel implied I should have known the rule.

The marker arrived this week and was installed after two checks to be sure of the correct grave.

If it is so important to be diligent in removing temporary markers, why couldn’t the cemetery office send a card to the family who purchased the plot, informing that the marker is to be removed. Not every family has the means to purchase the expensive marker within a year, and some anguish could be avoided in wondering about the location of your loved ones grave.

I was told the family was given a list of rules, but what family, at the time of burial, is thinking about rules?

The officials that maintain the cemetery need a course in human relationships.

Betty H. Barrett

Laurinburg