Biography

Speaking Topics

Lecture Schedule

Home

I first began to enjoy visiting cemeteries when I was in my teens. My friends and I would wander for hours around cemeteries in Cleveland seeking the grand bronze and stone sculptures of jubilant angels, vigilant guardians and languishing ladies. It seemed odd to us that such exquisite art was seemingly hidden away from public view.

From those early, intimate experiences, I learned to love the quiet coolness of cemeteries on hot summer days and the startling contrast of black and white when it snowed. It would be many years later that I realized just how fascinated I was with the environment, history and culture of cemeteries. Simple curiosity developed into a passion, and eventually, a livelihood.

While in college I traveled to Britain and Europe to observe examples of sculpture, architecture and applied arts in the Art Nouveau style. Not surprisingly, much of the sculpture that I wanted to see was in the cemeteries of London, Glasgow, Paris, Genoa, Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome, Munich, Berlin, and Vienna. When I returned home I discovered the lavish symbolism found in 19th century cemeteries.

In 1978, I made my first real cemetery road trip to Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Well supplied with paper, waxes, and a nice, soft kneeling pad, my intent was to do rubbings of gravestones with winged skulls and soul effigies from the 1700s. I was dismayed to learn that rubbings were strictly forbidden in many of the burying grounds I visited. The reason was readily apparent when I observed slate and marble gravestones stained black from careless stone-rubbers and daubers. Some stones were broken in pieces or had their surfaces crumbling away. Even then I realized the damage taking rubbings could do and so began photographing stones in earnest.

It soon became apparent this was much more than a passing interest and began keeping copious notes on my research and cemetery visits near and far. Thank goodness for micro-cassette recorders!

Now, over twenty-five years later, I am still enjoying cemeteries, however they are a much larger part of my life -- in fact, they are my life. Here is a brief chronology:

Since 1985

Free-lance writer, event planner, cemetery research and historian.

Since 1992

Interpretive Tour Guide and Historian ~~ Wade Memorial Chapel ~~ Lake View Cemetery, Cleveland, Ohio.

Since 1994

Editor and Publisher of Tomb With A View (A Monumental Experience).

Since 1995

Lectures & Presentations: Wade Chapel and other Historic Cemetery topics.
Association for Gravestone Studies - 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000 National Conferences
American Culture Association - 1998, 2000 International Conferences
Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art - Winter Park, FL - 1998.

Since 1996

Tomb With A View goes online.

1997

Special Event Planning Consultant for the "Heritage Weekend" at Lake View Cemetery.

Began teaching cemetery appreciation classes on funerary art, history, and preservation. First "How to Explore a Cemetery" and other northeastern Ohio cemetery tours. [schedule]

1998

My Stones & Bones Tours of Cleveland Cemeteries launched. The documentation is also developed into a slide presentation.

Begin cemetery field trips with the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

1999

The Angels of Lake View Cemetery added to Speaker's Bureau offerings.

2000

The Ohio Cemetery Preservation Society is founded and introduced in May during the National Trust's Preservation Week.

June 2001

Board of Trustees, Association for Gravestone Studies.

October 2001

Board of Trustees, Early Settlers Association of the Western Reserve.

I feel as though I have only been following a path for these many years -- a path that is still being revealed. Please stop in at Tomb With A View often to see what new tidbits I can dig up...

If you would like more information about this Cemetery Lady's tours, programs or consulting services, please send Email to tombview@aol.com