Removal Of Markers At Cemetary Upsets Families

Maintenance workers have removed flags and military service markers from a local cemetery. The move upset some families.

CBS 3 on Monday covered the removal of the flags and service markers this month at Our Lady of Grace Cemetery off Old Lincoln Highway in Middletown. The removal of the mementos from graves and into a pile on the ground near the maintenance building has upset some families and made it to social media.

Levittown resident Steve Abbot told the TV station that he saw the flags and service markers on the ground.

In a statement, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia said the Our Lady of Grace Parish in Penndel has contracted with a new company to perform maintenance on the cemetery and they are working to update “deteriorated markers.”

Below is the statement from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia:

“As part of its work, the company recently removed worn and deteriorated flags as well as deteriorated service markers from the graves of military veterans. The vault company will see that the flags are retired in a respectful manner following the guidelines of the U.S. flag code and will work with the parish to replace them with new flags. The deteriorated markers will be stored for a period of at least six months. If family members wish to retrieve them they may contact the vault company directly. The parish will work with the vault company and appropriate government agencies to obtain replacement markers for those that were removed as part of the maintenance process. The pastor of the parish met with two representatives from the local VFW this afternoon to discuss this matter. My understanding is that they expressed understanding and satisfaction with the plan to ensure the graves are appropriately marked.”

“Any other items that were removed from grave sites were taken away as they do not comply with the longstanding and posted policy regarding cemetery rules for grave displays. Those items are being held by the vault company for a period of at least six months and are available to any family members who may wish to retrieve them.”

While the cemetary does feature signs about items placed on display at grave sites, Abbot told the TV station that the new company’s enforcement of the policy seems stricter than before.