Elkdale Cemetery Association Endowment Fund

The Elkdale Cemetery Association was organized on June 10, 1933 at a meeting in the Elkdale Baptist Church.  Officers elected:  LJ  Wells, president, Mrs JA McAlla , secretary, Will Rolls, Treasurer  and directors GAPeck, Glenn Wells, James McAlla,  JBStevens, Wallace McAlla,  with auditors JBPeck, GAPeck and Glen Wells.

It was noted that pay for digging graves and cleaning up the lot was set at $15.00. Work to improve the cemetery for the first year was 35 cents an hour. Meticulous financial records were kept and audited from 1933 to 1978. Annual meetings were held each June and over the years many local residents served as directors. By 1936 donations saw a balance of $70.50 with yearly expenditures of $48.50.

At the annual meeting, June 9, 1951 the hourly wage for cemetery upkeep was raised for $1.50 to $2.00 and hour.

By 1978 the association yearly income had grown to $1387 with the help of large contributions from the Pauline Pitcher estate. This large balance was deposited in a savings account at the Forest City Bank. A checking account was opened May 3,1982 at the Community Bank and Trust, Forest City.  Average yearly expenses were $850.

Upon the recommendation of Miss Alberta Mihelc and Mrs. Kathryn Wells, S. Robert Powell assumed the duties of the Elkdale Cemetery Association as secretary/ treasurer on January 4, 1988. During Dr. Powell’s twenty seven years in this position the account balance grew significantly as expenditures were minimal while Dr. Powell volunteered his time to maintain the cemetery.

On  March 15, 2015 Dr. Powell turned over the care of the Elkdale Cemetery Association to Mark and Sandra Wilmot.  Denis Halstead immediately went to work on much needed maintenance, clearing brush, righting headstones, and relaying the perimeter stone wall as his Eagle Scout Project.  Volunteers of the Clifford Township Historical Society also helped restore the Elkdale Cemetery to its previous proud condition and added the Elkdale Cemetery sign to the site later that year. Major tree removal still needs to be done.

Mark and Sandra Wilmot opened the Elkdale Cemetery Association Fund at the Community Foundation in Montrose in December 2016 to insure the secure investment of this historical account and provide continuity with the funds for the folks who will assume the care of the cemetery in the future.