SU Faculty, Students Help Make Parsons Cemetery Pet Garden a Reality – Tuesday March 14, 2023

SALISBURY, MD—Historic Parsons Cemetery, overlooking Johnson’s Lake, has normally captivated animals.
Well, animal owners anyway.
Cemetery grounds crew have caught them seeking to bury their departed pets in unused plots bought by others. One gentleman explained to cemetery team he planned to have his pet stuffed, then buried with him in his coffin when he died.
In accordance to Rick Fahey, chair of the Parsons Cemetery Advisory Committee, the most amazing story was of Fred Grier, who as a youthful male served fight the wonderful Salisbury hearth of 1886. He later on grew to become fire chief, and when a most loved horse, which aided pull the Steam Pumper applied to fight fires, died, Grier experienced the horse buried in the relatives plot.
His kin and friends had been sworn to secrecy, but GPR (floor-penetrating radar) confirms a big disturbance there.
“Animals perform a particular part in our life and deserve a distinctive resting position when they depart us,” mentioned Fahey.
On Saturday, March 18, at 1 p.m., Parsons dedicates its Delmarva Pet Garden and unveils its new statue of St. Francis, the patron saint of animals, which will forget about the garden and its memorial brick pathway.
Pet fans are invited to convey their furry buddies for a blessing of the animals by Father David Michaud, rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. Pet photograph ops with St. Francis and a wander by means of the grounds comply with.
“In preparing the backyard, we found out not quite a few formal resting destinations for animals exist on the Jap Shore. A person supply explained this is only the next a single,” explained Fahey. “We believe Parsons would be a comforting place for animals owners to take a look at.”
While owned by St. Peter’s, which donated the statue, Parsons has an advisory board with a significant quantity of neighborhood customers. A point of pleasure, Parsons was the to start with cemetery to earn a Local community Alternative Award by Preservation Maryland, the state’s oldest and greatest preservation organization.
Dr. Brent Zaprowski, Salisbury College professor of geography and geosciences and advisory board member, has performed a foremost position in pet backyard enhancement. Before, he and colleague Stuart Hamilton, also of the Geography and Geosciences Department, served SU students rework the cemetery by way of know-how.
For instance, they made use of drones and worldwide positioning devices to uncover hundreds of unmarked veterans’ graves. Soldiers from as early as the War of 1812 are interred at the home. Preservation Maryland praised the Victorian-era cemetery for this sort of 21st century contemplating.
Readers note the very careful routine maintenance, completed in partnership with Holloway Funeral Property and volunteers including students from SU’s Glenda Chatham and Robert G. Clarke Honors College or university, who have engaged in spring cleanup for various several years, Zaprowski explained.
This attractiveness also amazed Preservation Maryland, noted Carol Smith, an advisory board member with a eager interest in history.
“Today, Parsons is a important community asset: an working cemetery, an outside record museum, a neighborhood park, a veteran’s memorial,” she said. “And now, animals are welcomed.”
For a lot more info about the cemetery, contact 410-749-6571 or go to its site.
Understand extra about prospects to Make Tomorrow Yours at the SU web-site.
