Three abandoned cemeteries given temporary custodians

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Sikeston and Scott County will serve as temporary custodians of records and perform necessary maintenance for three cemeteries that are no longer being kept up.

Memorial Park Cemetery and Garden of Memories Cemetery in Sikeston and Forest Hill Memorial Gardens at Morley, Mo., are owned by Michael Graham and Associates, a Houston, Texas, company, Sikeston city manager Doug Friend said.

"For all practical purposes, these cemeteries have been abandoned," he said.

A meeting was held Friday to make arrangements for the cemeteries. Officials at the meeting or linked via conference call, Friend said, included assistant attorney general Peter Lyskowski, Sikeston officials, Scott County officials, New Madrid County officials, state Rep. Ellen Brandom, representatives for Sen. Jason Crowell and Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, and local funeral home directors.

The attorney general's office asked local officials to take responsibility for some duties on a temporary basis, according to Friend.

"We will safeguard the records and work with the local funeral homes to give them access to the records," he said. "We are going to do that for the two cemeteries in town. Scott County is going to do it for the one in Morley."

Mike Graham and Associates bought the three cemeteries about eight years ago, according to local funeral home directors. By June 2005, there were numerous complaints of prepaid grave markers not being delivered and a lack of maintenance at the cemeteries.

"It ended up in the hands of the attorney general's office and is the subject of a number of lawsuits," Friend said, adding that the attorney general's office is trying to find a buyer.

"In the meantime, grass is going to be growing and somebody is going to have to maintain these properties," Friend said. "That doesn't mean we are in the cemetery business. We're just going to do our best to mow and keep them up."

Friend said the city hopes to work with county officials in managing records and in taking care of the cemeteries until matters are resolved. Memorial Park Cemetery is within New Madrid County along with most of the Garden of Memories. Forest Hill Memorial Gardens is within Scott County.

Friend said the city asked the attorney general's office and local lawmakers to look into ways the state might financially assist.

"We do not have this in our budget. This isn't something we planned on having to do," he said.