EVERGREEN CEMETERY PROJECT Annual Report to the Northeast Washington Genealogical Society October 2015

The Evergreen Cemetery was adopted by NeWGS in the late 1980’s as a project. The cemetery having been neglected for some time, caused native brush to invade a large part of the property and some grave markers were vandalized. NeWGS members and local residents continue the work to beautify the grounds and honor the over 600 interments of local pioneers and their families.

Activity Report: • In March, the north perimeter fence was cleaned of brush, stripped of old fencing and new wire strung tightly. • Maurice Williamson, Forest Management Consultant, met with Gordy & Karen Struve, Susan Dechant and Lora Rose to offer his evaluation of the tree health and status in the cemetery. His knowledge and abilities were of benefit in long term planning of the trees; an integral component of the grounds.

• Spring clean-up work, in anticipation of Memorial Day, began with the LDS youth groups aiding our members in removal of pine cones & some needles, dead branches and debris. Adult supervisors of this group and our members used weed whackers to trim around markers, trees and monuments in preparation for mowing. Brookover Bros. Lawn Service was hired to mow the cemetery grounds.

• A small work group removed 7 trees from the crowded southwest corner of the cemetery to provide more light for viewing burial locations. Further work will be done this fall or early spring.

• A rummage sale at the Struve house produced a generous increase in cemetery funds by $1138. 39. • Gordy Struve and Lora Rose continued efforts to honor those interred at Evergreen on our NeWGS website. Grave marker photos, pictures and obituaries were added as well as biographical information. Documentation used for our research was added to our NeWGS databases and the beginning of an “Evergreen Cemetery” tree was added to Ancestry.com to collaborate with others in correctly identifying family relationships and biographical data.

• Cement grave markers are being produced by Lora Rose to identify those known burials that are heretofore unmarked. Grave sites clearly identifiable but of unknown remains are also marked with cement/granite markers.

• A $100 grant from the Washington State Genealogical Society was applied for and received to help fund the removal of a large, dead pine tree on the east side of the cemetery.

• NeWGS featured Evergreen Cemetery at the Northeast Washington Fair in late August. Unfortunately, fires in the area limited attendance. Credit for much of the above mentioned work goes to dedicated NeWGS members. Thank you all for offering your time, energy and often personal equipment and money to keeping the restoration and maintenance of Evergreen cemetery a reality.