Church makes change
ADAMS TWP — A much-needed expansion project at Old Union Presbyterian Church will necessitate the moving of two graves, but the process will be carried out with respect and compassion, said the Rev. Peter de Vries, head pastor at the church.
The church at the intersection of Union Church and Stoup roads has not seen an expansion project since 1958, and the congregation needs additional and functional space to continue its many programs. But the red brick structure that dates back to 1839 is surrounded on three sides by its large cemetery and on the fourth side by a road.
Plans designed by architects with the help of de Vries include a large hallway extending from the current main entrance to a new, 7,120 square-foot addition to be built in the current parking lot.
The hallway, which will include a spacious entrance facing Union Church Road, passes within inches of two granite headstones and an 8-foot obelisk marking the final resting places of Benjamin and Rosanna Douthett, who passed away in 1890 and 1906, respectively.
"So the hallway would be overtop of their graves," said de Vries.
But graves cannot simply be picked up and moved, de Vries quickly discovered. After consulting with an attorney, the state funeral directors association and various county and state officials — who often pointed to the other as the governing body over a grave relocation — de Vries found he had to run a legal notice requesting objections by relatives or survivors by Aug. 24, 2008.
That ad ran in the Butler Eagle on July 28, as no one in the church knew of any relatives of Benjamin and Rosanna. De Vries said no one called, so the exhumation was scheduled for a date and time known only to himself, a funeral director from McDonald-Aeberli Funeral Home and the cemetery's gravedigger.
"One of our elders said 'You know, we might not be related to them, but they're part of our family,'" de Vries said. "That is so true. There is a Scripture that reads 'Whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.'"
Funeral director John Hanovick said while he has supervised a number of disinterments so the deceased could be relocated, he has not been involved in a project such as this.
"Never for a construction project," said Hanovick.
He explained state law requires a funeral director oversee the exhumation of any grave in which the deceased's remains were not placed in a protective container like a concrete or metal vault.
A disinterment does not require a court order or supervision by a funeral director because the remains are enclosed in a vault.
"An exhumation requires a court order because there is a chance remains will be exposed and there could be liability," said Hanovick.
He said the three men attending the exhumation are also unaware of the graves' depth or width."We'll work with the cemetery's grave digger, and he's done these before. We'll count on his expertise as well," said Hanovick.De Vries said privacy screens will be erected and the exhumation will be conducted in the somber, dignified manner. He said experts told him because they did not place caskets in protective vaults at the turn of the 20th century, only different colors of dirt would likely be found."We might find a few bones, but it's unlikely," said de Vries.Whatever remains are discovered 6 feet beneath the grassy surface will be moved 40 feet to the north into two new graves in a vacant spot in the cemetery. Oddly, the new gravesite is adjacent to a large double headstone marked "Douthett," which de Vries figures marks the remains of some of Benjamin and Rosanna's relatives."I see God's hand of providence there," said de Vries. "Those people will be in their own family plot and we're going to treat them with as much respect as possible."Benjamin and Rosanna's headstones will be moved to their new resting place, as will the huge obelisk.A recommittal service that includes the entire congregation will be held on the Sunday following the reburial."Then the congregation can pay their respects," said de Vries.Anyone with information on Benjamin and Rosanna Douthett can contact de Vries at 724-538-8672.
