Family Tradition An All-Day Affair Submitted by N.O.V.A. July 2005 Times Picayune 11-1-1998 ************************************************* Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ Today is the Roman Catholic celebration of All Saints Day, the day when we recall our deceased loved ones through thoughtful reflection, attending Mass and visiting and maintaining graves. In New Orleans, the event is a family tradition. Young and old gather flowers and cleaning supplies and drive to the cemetery. The task can be an all-day affair, as graves are carefully cleaned or repainted. When my great-grandmother, Hazel Riemann Stack , was still alive, All Saints Day began early in the morning for us. Although the day was filled with hard work, Grandma never left her house without dressing "like a lady." She would wear one of her classic black or gray dresses, black patent leather pumps, one of her handmade hats, pearls and gloves, and a youthful face dusted with sweet-smelling pink powder. Once we arrived at the cemetery, Grandma would remove her hat and gloves, don her apron and get to work. First, the graves had to be swept and cleaned. Then flowers were carefully arranged in the vases. When she was satisfied with the tomb's appearance, she would indulge us children in a quick visit to the chapel inside the cemetery. Afterward, we would stroll through the graves, visiting tombs of relatives and old friends. "Oh, look how they're letting his grave go," Grandma would remark at the sight of a poorly maintained burial plot. "That's so nice that those boys keep up their mama's tomb," she would say about another tomb. After fulfilling our primary duties at my grandfather's and great-grandfather's graves, we journeyed across town to the older family plot. A double tomb, this grave holds the remains of our Irish-American ancestors, the children of the original immigrants who fled the Potato Famine of the 1840s. Even Grandma was too young to have known these relatives, but it was her obligation to care for their graves. The Irish plot was cared for in a similar manner, as Grandma scrubbed and swept and put out new flowers. Sometimes she would laugh and tell us a story about the relatives. Grandma also would tease us about her role as a good witch on Halloween, patrolling the skies on her broom as her great-grandchildren trick-or-treated below. Sometimes we would meet old friends or distant cousins who also were honoring the dead. Grandma died 13 years ago, and the task of caring for the graves is now fulfilled by my grandmother, my husband and I. We still miss Grandma. Some years I can almost hear her familiar laugh as I sweep the cemetery. The local organization Save Our Cemeteries has asked all grave owners in the New Orleans area to protect their family plots against theft and vandalism by photographing tombs, statues, vases, etc. The photos should cover all sides of the grave, and should be taken both up close and from a distance. These records should be kept in a safe place in the event of a loss. If you plan to visit your family tomb this week, take a few minutes to photograph your memorial. Lisa Hollis is a Gretna resident who writes for and about senior citizens. To submit news, call her at 393-1461, e-mail her at HonyHollis@aol.com, write to her at 1467 Flamingo Road, Gretna, LA 70056, at least 10 days in advance.