CEMETERY 'GYPSY' HERE..

TOO MANY TO LIST

Posted By: Nancee Seifert (email)
Date: 10/16/2014 at 13:00:46

CEMETERY 'GYPSY' HERE.....

Yesterday, even with the threat of afternoon rain, I headed for Woodland
Township's cemeteries that I hadn't visited yet -- Shields, Lentz, Beavers
and Hall. I always try to be prepared with maps and directions, but there
is always some kind of glitch.. I intended to go south from Hwy 2, on to Co
Rd R58, to Hall and Beavers cems, but there was no such road. There were 2
gravel roads to choose from, and I didn't want to chance driving around in
the woods all day... So, I headed east on Hwy 2 to Co Rd R69 and went south
about 7 miles and, WA LA (pardon me - voila) there was Shields Cemetery. I
should say that it was paved road until I passed "Turkey Run Farm", when it
suddenly became gravel -- the warning sign said 'BUMP'... I headed on the
remaining 4 miles. My map said after 7.4 miles to turn right -- no road
number or name... I chanced it and turned on Tamarack Hills Road and up over
the top sits Shields Cemetery.

It was delightful to have lots of shade (on a 90 degree) day. Many of the
stones have been repaired and put on cement pads - and a few have fallen
and are laying on the ground. It is well taken care of. After chalking and
taking pics of all the headstones, I just 'drank in' all the sounds and
sights for a while.. wild roses, blooming black raspberries, a patch of
wild asparagus and the all too familiar Mulberry trees in the fence line.
Just over the fence toward the woods, there were lots of wild gooseberry
plants -- and the memories of my Dad's gooseberry pies got the better of me.
.......He could make a mean gooseberry pie that would pucker your mouth, but
always be ready for a second piece.. He was the chief 'cook and bottle
washer' when we were young girls - and he sure did a super job.

I decided to try and find my way to Lentz, Beavers and Hall cemeteries,
going through the back country.. My map showed that I could.. I stopped at
Woodland to take a picture of the Woodland Church and looked around for Co
Rd J46; couldn't find it so took a chance and turned on 240th St. west and
drove a few miles, not finding anything that looked like the map. I ended up
at a farmer's house to ask directions but no one came to the door.. So, I
turned around to back track and came across a fellow mowing the sides of the
road, from Decatur County.. I flagged him down - which means that I jumped
out of my car and ran in front of him waving my arms.. Poor man!! He was
really helpful and told me I was within a mile of all of the cemeteries. He
talked me through the directions and then said he'd be coming back down the
other side of the road mowing if I needed his help again... Now, that's good
old fashioned "Iowa" nice folk.. (One of these times I'm going to find me a
boyfriend, you know, a real live one...)

So, I back tracked a little and headed south again on Valley Road, which was
a little soft from the rain the night before.. It dead ends at Lentz
Cemetery.. And what a pretty cemetery this is. It took quite a while to
photograph all the stones and the temperature wasn't dropping any. It's
always interesting to find people whose names you know in the cemeteries..
My first mother-in-law's folks and siblings are buried there -- Beavers.

I headed back to the main road and went the way the County road fellow told
me to.. He said "you go up past Hamaker's new place and over the hill, and
you'll find Hall and Beavers on either side of the road." So, I marked on
my map that this road is 300th St and followed it like he said.. I stopped
at Beavers Cemetery and took photos and then headed on north just a scosch
and there was Hall Cemetery on the left.. These Woodland Township cemeteries
are all like oases in the middle of nowhere - full of pungent peonies and
old fashioned iris.

I left there very hot, sweaty and tired and took a chance that 300th St.
would go on out to Hwy 2 somewhere north of there.. and, indeed, it did --
the street name becoming Pony Farm Road - which my map said was Co Rd R58...
If I haven't confused everybody with these directions, road names and
numbers, I'll be very disappointed!!

Well, the cemetery gypsy is planning the next cemetery hunting trip..You
know, you don't ever have to leave the State of Iowa to have a nice little
vacation... smiles. My Best, Nancee