Darliene and Darrell France of Boyd walk through the Dufur Community Cemetery off Highway 197 that they hope to have cleaned up for Memorial Day. The couple has organized a workday that begins at 10 a.m. May 21 and invite history buffs and area residents interested in preserving the pioneer cemetery to pull weeds and clear invasive grass off grave plots.
Darliene and Darrell France of Boyd walk through the Dufur Community Cemetery off Highway 197 that they hope to have cleaned up for Memorial Day. The couple has organized a workday that begins at 10 a.m. May 21 and invite history buffs and area residents interested in preserving the pioneer cemetery to pull weeds and clear invasive grass off grave plots.
The Dufur Community Cemetery is, well, a mess of weeds and grass, and two Boyd residents want to get it spruced up for Memorial Day.
“I’m hoping that people will adopt a plot; we have some gravesites that are historical and no longer have a family to clean them off,” said Darliene France.
She and husband Darrell are planning to spend Saturday at the burial ground on a knoll just north of Dufur along Highway 197. They are hoping that other area residents will join them at 10 a.m. on May 21 to prepare the cemetery for visitors on Memorial Day, which is May 30.
Flags will be placed on all known veteran graves and Darliene said the planters will be filled with fresh flowers at the entrance and some decorative red rock will be laid down.
“Memorial Day is more than just a day to have picnics,” she said. “It’s time for us to pay respects to our veterans and others who have died.”
She is the president of the nonprofit organization that operates the cemetery, which was established in 1880 and formerly owned by the Rebekah Lodge.
Darrell is the secretary and Gerald Reffett of Dufur serves as vice-president.
“When we first started coming out here, the weeds were this high,” said Darrell, using his hands to measure a height of about three feet.
During spring break, the Dufur Fire Department and Ambulance crew cleared off a large section of the grounds and applied weed killer to control regrowth. People also showed up from Pine Hollow, The Dalles and other communities to help out because they have ancestors buried there.
Darliene said that help was greatly appreciated and similar efforts are needed on the remainder of the five-acre property with 2,624 graves.
“You can’t really mow here because of the monuments and cement blocks around the plots,” said Darrell.
Weed eating helps control the growth but what is needed, he said, is for people to literally dig in and pull out the roots of invasive grasses and unwanted plants.
There is no water on site so Darrell said it is important to keep the weeds down to reduce fire danger.
Although the Frances have been working at the cemetery as much as possible, the task is overwhelming for a couple of individuals, they say.
“Where do you even start?” asked Darliene.
She is researching how to clean off the headstones, something that has to be done carefully to avoid damaging the aged marble and stone.
Also on her project list is applying for a state grant that can be used to repair broken headstones and those that have fallen over.
The cemetery is open daily from dawn to dusk and the Frances invited Wasco County residents interested in history to walk the grounds – and perhaps pull a weed or two.
For more information on the cemetery or work day, email dufurcemetery@ortelco.net or call the Frances at 541-467-2371.
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