At the Greenleaf Cemetery Association Board meeting on Thursday evening last week, two volunteers were honored for their countless hours of service to the cemetery.
Keith Barrick was honored for his many hours of data entry into the Greenleaf Cemetery’s new CIMS software. Barrick, who could be found in the cemetery’s office two days each week, almost every week for more than a year, has made it his mission to help Greenleaf. And help is has been. Because Greenleaf has more that 22,000 interments, the documentation is long and tedious. Barrick cross-references information from the historic Greenleaf maps and the “old” cemetery card files in order to enter into the new database, the most accurate information. Some days, you might find him walking in the cemetery, verifying this information, before it is entered. Barrick is a “gentle giant” to the staff and Board of Greenleaf.
Claire Faetche, daughter of Greenleaf Board member Martha Faetche and Chris Faetche, and a Senior at Brownwood High School was honored for her volunteer service. Claire has worked for more that a year helping to redecorate the cemetery office and has spent hours entering data into the cemetery’s software. She donated her time to serve as office clerk several times, has photographed many of the beautiful tombstones at Greenleaf and has become a very capable researcher for those looking for family graves at Greenleaf.
Claire has recently made the commitment to go to A&M University in the fall. She shared with the Greenleaf Board that in her interview, she was able to talk about her work at the cemetery. “They were surprised that a young person would want to work at a cemetery, but I told them that I love history. And that is what a cemetery is all about,” Claire said.
Greenleaf has been very fortunate to be awarded several grants from local foundations during the past two years. One grant, from the Woodruff Foundation, made it possible to buy the CIMS software and the computers needed to take Greenleaf into the 21st Century. The old historic Greenleaf maps are in the process of being digitized so that they can be linked to the software data.
There are other people who volunteer their time at workdays and special occasions at Greenleaf Cemetery. Recently at a workday sponsored by FROG, Friends and Relatives of Greenleaf, volunteers up-righted and reset several stones that, through the years had fallen or sunken into the ground, and refurbished the flower beds in front of the office.
A group of men from Coggin Baptist Church have also recently completely updated the break room. The finishing touches will be put on this project this coming Sunday afternoon, when the Board has a workday to complete this needed restoration.
Volunteer work is so much appreciated by the Board of Greenleaf Cemetery Association. To those who volunteered and to those who donated supplies to the cemetery workday, the Board sends a big “thank you”.
Greenleaf Board appreciates all community support. If you are interested in volunteering, call any of the Greenleaf Board members or the cemetery office at 325-646-6919. If you would like to make a monetary donation to the cemetery for perpetual care or for maintenance, donations can be made to P.O. Box 455 Brownwood, TX 76804.
***Pictured above from left to right are: Connie Wyatt, Board Member; Keith Barrick; Claire Faetche, and Tim Wilson, Board member. Other Board members of Greenleaf Cemetery Association are Angie Gomez, Harold Hogan, Patti Jordan, Martha Faetche, and Edward Yantis.
