Witness ‘Cemetery Tales’ Sept. 19-21

Suitable for mature adolescents and up, Cemetery Tales presents the life histories of people buried at the cemetery — people who helped make the valley what it is today.

Tickets are still available (see details in box) for the 90-minute presentations, in which audiences are guided from one gravesite to another to hear local citizens, in costume, present the true tales they have researched and written themselves. Chairs and tents are provided; prepare for cool weather.

This year’s event is dedicated to the memories of Virginia Baldwin and Scott Johnson, who died in 2013 and were active volunteers with the Hood River County Historical Society, which co-organizes the event with Idlewilde Cemetery.

Cemetery Tales brings forth the past by showing the personalities of the community, from Carrie Fitch, the first woman to climb Mt. Hood, to James Badley, a venerated aviator who died in Vietnam.

“We go from common people who have made a strong impression or contribution to Hood River, who did their job every day, and then we have some people who have done great things and people who have some interesting personalities, including some very potent stories that go from laughter to tears — and shock,” said Dottie Gilbertson of the Historical Society and museum.

The performances range from Parkdale “button lady” Ruth Shake to rapist and kidnapper Luther Fagan (see list below).

New performers Raina Taylor, Jeff Nichols, Kathy Williams, John Alley, and Leslie Hoover-Lauble join returnees Roger Blashfield, Jules Burton, Kate Daugherty, and Kirby Neumann-Rea.

“The mission of the museum is to tell the stories of what our community has been about, about the people. This makes it personal,” Gilbertson said

“It is also a way in which people can go and look at cemeteries in a different way,” she said.

“It has been a wonderful partnership with the cemetery and (sextant) Bob Huskey. He has worked so hard to make sure everything is ready for us. It is not a huge fundraiser; our purpose is to try to get the stories of Hood River people out to the community.”

Hood River Senior Center, across Brookside Drive from Idlewilde, is the gathering place for Cemetery Tales. The audience parks at the center and 12 people at a time are shuttled by bus to the cemetery to start the walking tour.

A lasagna dinner ($10) to benefit the Center’s Meals on Wheels program happens Sept. 19 and 20. Purchase dinner tickets along with tour reservations, or buy dinner tickets at the door.

Cemetery Tales line-up

Ruth Fern Shake, 1896 to 1979, played by Jules Burton.

Carrie Graham Fitch, 1866-1954, played by Kate Daugherty.

Luther Fagan and TJ. Miller/Narrator, 1920s, played by Kirby Neumann-Rea and Roger Blashfield.

James Badley, 1942-1968 and mother Ellen, 1920-2005, played by Jeff Nichols and Kathy Williams.

Evi Annala Jakku, 1902-1982, played by Raina Taylor

Christian D. Nickelsen, 1870-1946, played by John Alley.

Bessie Weber Arens , 1899-1988, played by Leslie Hoover-Lauble.