Sunset Memorial Park, Albuquerque, NM

SUNSET MEMORIAL PARK

924 Menaul Blvd N.E.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

GPS 35.10835, 106.63557

34,557 names

This cemetery was founded by Chester T. French in 1929.  His goal was to provide an endowed care cemetery with services to Albuquerque.  The very first burial area of Sunset is located at the corner of Edith Blvd. and Menaul Blvd.  The large stately trees that grace the grounds are the result of the care they have been given for over 80 years of life.  In May 1988, Sunset Memorial dedicated the new area of the cemetery with overtwo acres of spacial memorial lawns and views of the Sandia Mountains.  In addition, a new area for individual cremation memorialization is the "Old Town Mosaic."  It is a collage of six pictures in and around the Plaza of Old Town, Albuquerque.  These 168 niches are made from over 10,000 pieces of Italian glass.

Famous Persons buried at Sunset:
Maxie Anderson
 (Balloonist Adventurer)
Sep 10, 1934 - Jun 27, 1983
Elfego Baca
 (NM Folk hero and fearless lawman)
Feb 10, 1865 - Aug 27, 1945
Harold Chapin Buell
(Manhattan Project scientist)
Oct 13, 1917 - Dec 26, 2002
Harold Herman Moon
(World War 2 Medal of Honor)
Mar 15, 1921 - Oct 21, 1944
Jerry Unser
 (Unser auto racing family)
Nov 15, 1932 - May 17, 1959

September 11, 2001 Forever in our Hearts

We shall never forget
We shall keep this day,
We shall keep the events and the tears
In our minds, our memory and our hearts
and take them with us as we carry on.

"Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)"

by Alan Jackson

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?
Were you in the yard with your wife and children
Or working on some stage in L.A.?
Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke
Risin' against that blue sky?
Did you shout out in anger, in fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry?

Did you weep for the children who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know?
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below?
Did you burst out in pride for the red, white and blue
And the heroes who died just doin' what they do?
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself and what really matters?

[Chorus:]
I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell
you the difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?
Were you teaching a class full of innocent children
Or driving down some cold interstate?
Did you feel guilty 'cause you're a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone?
Did you call up your mother and tell her you loved her?
Did you dust off that Bible at home?

Did you open your eyes, hope it never happened
Close your eyes and not go to sleep?
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages
Or speak to some stranger on the street?
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Or go out and buy you a gun?
Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watchin'
And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns?

Did you go to a church and hold hands with some strangers
Did you stand in line and give your own blood?
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love?

A Decade of Hard Work by Dedicated Volunteers

Negra Cemetery, Torrance County, NM

On September 12, 2011 we are 10 years old.  I don't know if I feel 10 years young(er) or 10 years old(er).  But ten years has brought great happiness to me as well as a sense of great accomplishment in New Mexico.

In March of 2001, my best friend Danielle Sengel and I decided to walk and record the beautiful Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Albuquerque.  It was so pleasant meeting in the mornings and plotting out the cemetery.  We quickly wrote down every stone in that cemetery.  And the people in the office at the cemetery were so gracious to us with their time and information that we felt we had done something well worth while.  A special 'hats off' to Rosina (manager) and Reno (ground crew) for their help and education.

But when we were finished, I knew there was more - you know "the rest of the story" or sequels.  We had several other cemeteries in the city and I just had to do them too!  The next one I wanted to work on was Mount Calvary, sister cemetery of Gate of Heaven.  It was also one of the Santa Fe Catholic Archdiocese cemeteries but much older than Gate of Heaven.  I was eager to begin....Danielle wasn't so sure.  Just about that time, the Albuquerque Journal newspaper contacted me and wanted to do a story on what I was trying to accomplish.  When the reporter talked with me, he suggested getting other people involved and forming a group.

I did have another life besides being in a cemetery every day so I decided to go ahead and try to get a group together.  Little did I know that there are MANY people very interested in being in cemeteries!  From the newspaper article I got many phone calls about the work, eagerly volunteering to join me!  In August I started putting together a group and set the first training session for September 12, 2001.  But on September 11, every American's heart was broken and our earth moved beneath us.  I questioned going on with this project, but a very kind lady called me and said she wanted to come anyway!  So on September 13 I held the first training session at a local library.  I think 12 people came to it, all eager to make a difference somehow in this crazy world.

Two weeks later I had another training session and another 15 people came to it.  It was at this session that Betty Lamberti came into my life.  She has stuck with this group from day one.  Dedicated and a hard worker!  By the first of October, a committed and trained group of 20 people were ready to write their hearts out.  Our first meeting was at Mt. Calvary and we all worked through the various problems we encountered both on the grounds and tombstones.  Oh, so many different ways to write a tombstone!  Another big thank you to the office staff of Mt. Calvary, especially Mr. Baca and Anna Cantwell who gave us tremendous support. 

It was right after this first group meeting that a gentleman called me and said he had been out of town and couldn't make either of the training sessions.  Would it be possible for him to still join us?  This is how I came to know Al "Wink" Winkeljohn.  I don't know if we would be as far along as we are today without Wink.  Since 2006 he has almost single handed found over 800 cemeteries in the state.  He has patiently located them, verified them, wrote directions and got GPS listings for them.  And he has another life too!  

Through the years, we have walked most of the cemeteries in Albuquerque (Gate of Heaven, Mt. Calvary, Fairview, Sunset, Sanchez/Romero, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Alameda/San Carlos, San Francisco, San Jose de Armijo, Los Padillas, Pajarito, Sandia Memory Gardens.  We've branched out to Torrance, Santa Fe, Sandoval and Socorro counties. 

In the Sandia Mountain area, we walked Carnuel/Santo Nino Cemetery, San Antonito, San Antonio de Padua, Golden, Tijeras, Saint Francis of Assisi at Golden.  Another of my very early volunteers was Sally Goehring.  She and Wink walked Chilil/St John Nepomunceno Cemetery, Canoncito, Cerro/Cedro, and Juan Tomas.

This group has never had any funding nor outside support and we are not a 501c(3) organization.  A few of my volunteers travel around the state and they kindly look out for cemeteries.  Many take pictures or verify the location of these far out sites.  But it is Wink who travels great miles, without being paid, just to find and verify a cemetery.  Last week he and his sister traveled to Dixon to find four cemeteries that had eluded us over the years.  Now we have pictures, GPS, names of the cemeteries and a feeling of accomplishment.  I try to find cemeteries in Quay and McKinley county. Anyone who knows this state knows how deserted and barren it is.  Most of the states cemeteries are on lonely dirt roads, miles from civilization, hot and dusty.   But truthfully, whenever Wink or Rich and I are travelling up/down a highway, our minds are always thinking, "what cemetery is near here - I need to stop there!" 

Through ten years of joy, hard work, friendships, trials, supportive friends and love, I take my hat off to these volunteers:
Danielle Sengel, Sally Goehring, Anne Hayward, Linda Hobart, Robin Hoffman, Herb and Sharon Palm, Sue Greene, Karen Twohig, Carolyn McMillan, Linda Ingram, Linda Sprague, Shirley Ash, Anthony Lohr-Valdez, Ruth Apodaca, Veronica Mercer, Connie Sirman, Betty Jo Minshall.  Whether you were with us for 3 months or a year, thank you. 

And to my dearest friends that have been with me for years, a huge bow, salute and heart-felt thanks to:
Al "Wink" Winkeljohn, Betty Lamberti, Gloria Henderson, Barb Borowy, Diane Bloom, Sharon Serrano, Marion "Lee" Miller.  You all have a special place of honor in heaven and history.  And a special thanks and hug to my husband who joined us in 2008 after he retired.  Rich has always supported me and this group.  Now he knows just what we've been up to all these years!


New Mexico Tombstone hours worked:
(I did not keep hours for the first 2 years, but we wrote over 10,000 graves)
2003 - 460 hours
2004 - 507 hours
2005 - 655 hours
2006 - 527 hours
2007 - 303 hours
2008 - 459 hours
2009 - 418 hours
2010 - 442 hours
2011 (so far) - 320 hours

We have found and verified 1,832 cemeteries in 33 counties, and have approximately 238,000 individual graves logged.  And we are no where near the end!  So many books, records, death certificates, obituaries yet to write!!

Encino Cemetery, Torrance County, NM

Gate of Heaven, Albuquerque, NM

-

 

GATE OF HEAVEN CEMETERY

Wyoming N.E. at Paseo del Norte N.E.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

505-821-0800

 

                                                            GPS 35.17309, 106.56271

 

This was the very first cemetery that I walked and registered.  My friend Danielle Sengel helped me get the Tombstone Transcription project off the ground.  We worked early mornings for about two months mapping out the grounds and then walking and writing down every headstone we found.  This information was later typed up and submitted to the internet.

This cemetery is beautiful in that there are many trees, lush green grass, a beautiful mausoleum and wonderful people in the office willing to help us.  Gate of Heaven is a Catholic cemetery, under the guidance of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and is the sister cemetery of Mount Calvary (downtown Albuquerque).  You do not need to be Catholic to be buried here. 

The Tombstone Transcription group comes back to this cemetery about every 3 years,

most recently 2011.  We have logged 8,842 names. 

 My father, John Junior Ralf (1921-2006), is enniched in the Mausoleum.

 Gate of Heaven sections:

• St. Michael
• St. Peter
• St. Gabriel
• Garden of the Resurrection
• Garden of the Holy Family
• Garden of the Ascension
• Garden of the Nativity
• Garden of the Holy Cross
• Sacred Heart
• Mausoleum
• Garden Crypts
• Mausoleum Patio

A Tombstone Poem

To provide a link to everyone's past is the reason we keep walking and writing.  Thank you Wink for finding this poem.

"Your tombstone stands among the rest,

Neglected and alone.

The name and date are chiseled out

On polished marble stone.

It reaches out to all who care

It is too late to mourn.

You did not know that I exist

You died and I was born.

Yet each of us are cells of you

In flesh, in blood and bone.

Our blood contracts and beats a pulse

Entirely not our own.

Dear Ancestor, the place you filled

One hundred years ago

Spreads out among the ones you left

Who would have loved you so.

I wonder if you lived and loved,

I wonder if you knew

That someday I would find this spot

And come to visit you."

Author unknown

July Fourth (again) on July 28

My friend Wink sent this link to me.  I wish I had it when I wrote about patriotism and July Fourth.  Please watch, listen, enjoy and reflect on our wonderful country.

If you highlight the link below, you will be taken to a direct link to click on.

http://www.israpundit.com/archives/31462?sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4d31fedeb2805d94,0

Around the State Part 3, or Life/Writing Goes On!

Diane is still up in the far northeast part of the state in Union County.  She has transcribed Royce Switch, Rumaldo Martinez, Sampson, Sanchez, Sedan, Seneca and Shaha Cemeteries out of Union County cemeteries 978.923 Vol 1B.

Wink is having a ball reading through Eternal New Mexicans (978.9 by Quentin) which is the story of famous people and where their final resting spots from 1700-1995.

Betty (such a prolific writer!) is in Sierra County transcribing Engle, Elephant Butte, Cuchillo, Chiz, Caballo and Arrey cemeteries.  Her book is Sierra County sites 978.967 Vol 2.

Rich is still in Grant County and still working the massive Memory Lane cemetery from "Directory of Silver City Memory Lane 1871-1978" 978.9692 by Henderson

Sharon is enjoying Valencia County since she has relatives from that area.  The book is titled New Mexico Cemeteries Vol 2 (978.9 by Brewer) and mostly Valencia county.  However Valencia county split and some of these cemeteries are now in Cibola county.  She has transcribed Old Los Lunas (Valencia), Old Cubero (Cibola), Paraje (Cibola), Mesita (Cibola) and Belen Catholic (Valencia).

Gloria just finished Mohoney Mortuary (Deming) 1894-1907 from "Unpublished New Mexico Records" 978.9 Farrell.  She has just started another Union County large tome on Clayton Memorial (978.923 Vol 2B)

Barb must love to write.  She is STILL transcribing a very large book on Rosario in Santa Fe County (Rosario Cemetery Tombstones 978.956).

Lee also must love his work as he is still diligently transcribing Prairie Haven Cemetery in Lea County - I think he has been working on this one over a year!  The book is "Cemeteries of Lea County, Vol 2" 978.933 by Lanning

As for me, I am still working through "Cemeteries of DeBaca County" 978.944 Eldridge which included Blanco, Buchanan, Casaus, Dunlap and Fort Sumner cemeteries.

July Fourth, 2011

We are so blessed to live in America, every one of us!  I think most of us take so much for granted and only think about our freedoms on July Fourth.  But not me.  I still cry when I hear or sing the Star Spangled Banner, can barely get through the Pledge of Allegiance and I  love a parade that has lots of flags (as long as it isn't REAL hot outside). 

I am very thankful for the freedom to have a house in a city where I want to live, the freedom to love my husband and give him a kiss in public, to have wonderful children (and fantastic grandchildren) that we can live with, help out and brag about.  I can go to church every day of my life and I can wear my cross around my neck.  I do not fear my government for what it may or may not do.  And I can go to one of many grocery stores and make choices of thousands of foods.  I know I am blessed abundantly with clean water, air, beautiful skies, and so many wonderful friends

Here are some quotes I feel express what freedom should mean to all of us.

There is nothing that faith, love of freedom, intelligence and energy of her citizens cannot cure.  President Dwight D. Eisenhower

A man who won't die for something is not fit to live. ~ Martin L King Jr.

A thoughtful mind, when it sees a Nation's flag, sees not the flag only, but the Nation itself; and whatever may be its symbols, its insignia, he reads chiefly in the flag the Government, the principles, the truths, the history which belongs to the Nation which belongs to the Nation that sets it forth. ~ Henry Ward Beecher

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. ~ Abraham Lincoln


 How many of us have recently, or ever, read the Declaration of Independence.  Every Senator and Representative to our United States Congress is required to read this overpowering document EVERY year.  To keep it in the fore front of our thoughts is tantamount to maintaing our freedoms.  Below is part of the first section of the document which I hope you will take the time to read.

The Declaration was approved and adopted July 4, 1776, drafted by Thomas Jefferson.  The 13 colonies had been at war with Great Britain just over a year when the document was presented to the Continental Congress.  There are 56 delegates that signed the document.

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

GOD BLESS AMERICA by Irving Berlin

"While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. "

God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home

Father's Day

Cheryl, Kathy, Melody and Dad 1963

To Wink, Lee and my wonderful Rich.   And in honor of my father, John Junior Ralf (1921-2006) whom I miss every day.  He was the best father that always had time for me and loved my mother with every fiber in his body.  He encouraged me in whatever I wanted to do - at least until I wanted to be a policeman like he was.  He would not allow that!  He loved his three daughters and approved of the men they married.  He was a good man.

On June 19, 1910, the first celebration of Fathers' Day occurred which was also the birthday of William Smart. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge would further support this day and in 1966, President Lyndon Johnson declared that Fathers' Day be celebrated every third Sunday of June. Finally in 1972, President Richard Nixon made Fathers' Day a permanent national observance.

OH, MY PA-PA
Eddie Fisher
Oh, my pa-pa, to me he was so wonderful
Oh, my pa-pa, to me he was so good
No one could be, so gentle and so lovable
Oh, my pa-pa, he always understood.

Gone are the days when he could take me on his knee
And with a smile he'd change my tears to laughter

Oh, my pa-pa, so funny, so adorable
Always the clown so funny in his way
Oh, my pa-pa, to me he was so wonderful
Deep in my heart I miss him so today.

Cat's in the Cradle

Cat Steven (from a poem written by his wife, Sandy)

My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you dad
You know I'm gonna be like you"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home dad?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

My son turned ten just the other day
He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play
Can you teach me to throw", I said "Not today
I got a lot to do", he said, "That's ok"
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

Well, he came home from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
"Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad
It's been sure nice talking to you"

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

Around the State, part 2

Just as I did last year, here is a list of what everyone is working on.

Betty just finished the last of the San Juan county cemeteries books- a huge undertaking.  Now she is transcribing "Community Cemeteries of Sierra Count" (978.967 Vol 2)

Wink just finished a huge book of Union county cemeteries.  There are 6 volumes in the series.  He did volume 4.  Now he's working on "Eternal New Mexicans" (978.9 Quentin)

Barb is working on another large book, "Rosario Cemetery, Santa Fe" (978.956)

I am transcribing "Cemeteries of DeBaca County" (978.944 Eldridge)

Gloria took on the job of transcribing all of the Eddy County genealogy books referring to cemeteries.  She has just started "Miscellaneous Unpublished NM Genealogical Records: Death Records from Mohoney Mortuary, Deming NM" (978.9)

Rich continues with "Silver City Memory Lane Cemetery" (978.9692 Henderson).  I think he was working this book last year too!

Sharon continues getting through "Fairmont Cemetery" Santa Fe (978.922)  She is ALMOST through!

Lee also continues with "Cemeteries of Lea County" (978.933 Lanning)

Diane, like Wink, has been working through one of the 6 large volumes of Union County.  She is working "Cemeteries of Union County" Vol 1B (978.923 Lofgren)

All of us are in large volumes, books that require months of transcribing work.  It gets boring at times, very tiring most of the time, but we all get eager to finish up one of the big tomes. 

What are we doing?

What a erudite, scholarly group of people looking at all those books!  But what are they REALLY doing?  We are doing shelf checks, pretending to be librarians!  Looks like fun, doesn't it. 

When we first started at the Albuquerue Public library we weren't sure where to start with transcribing.  The library workers pointed me to shelves and said "there is all we have".  So I went through lots of the books seeing if there was any information we could use, like death certificates, mortuary records or more importantly, BURIAL records.  I found many books so we started transcribing them.  Over the years the helpful people at the library would give me other ideas as to reference materials and books we should look at. 

When we started coming back into the library this summer, I noticed that we were running out of work!  There were only about 45 books left to transcribe.  With my group, it would not take long to do that.  It was time to REALLY search through ALL the books, one by one to be sure we got everything.  Our job is not done until we get it all!

So section by section, shelf by shelf and book by book, we all went through every book in the New Mexico history sections looking for anything that resembled records we needed to transcribe.  And we found more to do!  As of 2011, we have transcribed parts of or all of 300 books, about 1000 cemetery or mortuary documents.  After going through the books, we have 75 books left to do - should keep us busy for a few more years.

After two days of shelf checks, we resumed our previous work that we are all comfortable with at the tables.

Betty and Gloria, best friends



Gail, head librarian, came over to talk with us



We have found through the years many, many cemeteries in our state that have been forgotten.  Only through some of the published histories of the counties, or family histories do some of these live on today.  So many of these old cemeteries had fewer than 10 burials, the most recent being early 1900's.  They have disappeared in our desert climate and tumbleweeds, mostly forgotten.  But we find them, write as much as we can, try to get good location information (thank you Wink!!!) and submit the information to the internet as well as the Genealogy library.  They will live on forever now!

The Tombstone Project is so very important.  In a perfect society, every city, village, town and county would have volunteers working on this.  Once these graveyards disappear, so does our history, our families and our heritage as Americans.  All of our ancestors fought for their land, fought to survive and preserve their future.  We cannot forget about them now!  My wonderful group works with great dedication to this cause and with a great sense that they have protected some of New Mexico's history as well as all of our futures.  God bless all of you!

Gate of Heaven is done

GATE OF HEAVEN Cemetery

Albuquerque, New Mexico

        

                                            

We have finished re-walking one of our favorite cemeteries - Gate of Heaven. This beautiful cemetery is one of the three regular large ones we keep up to date in Albuquerque. It is a favorite of everyone because it is green, has lots of shade, conveniently located (not too far for any of us to drive), and can be re-walked in 3 months. There is a wonderful sense of peace here.


We added 1008 burials to the update this time. The last time we were here it was late 2007. There are 8,871 names at this cemetery as of the end of May 2011.

Mount Calvary is the sister cemetery of Gate of Heaven and we finished re-walking that in 2009. Sunset Memorial is the third cemetery we regularly re-walk and it will be on our schedule for 2011 when the weather cools down. Both of these are considerably larger than Gate of Heaven and will take 1-2 years for their rewalks. But we only work on the grounds of a cemetery about 6 months out of a year, typically February to May and then again late September to late November or early December. We are irrevocably linked to the weather. When it gets above 80 degrees, or below 50 degrees, we retreat to the library.  Not that we are chickens, but it isn't fun to write when your fingers are too cold to move, nor when the sun beats down on you unmercifully. 

Those working Gate of Heaven were Wink Winkeljohn, Gloria Henderson, Betty Lamberti, Sharon Serrano, Diane Bloom, Lee Miller, Barb Borowy and Rich Harris.

Mother's Day Tribute

Happy Mother's Day to all of you and God Bless you always

                                                   Norma and Cheryl Ralf 1963
                                                                 


It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'

Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The Invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this??

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order,'Right around 5:30, please.'


Some days I'm a crystal ball; 'Where's my other sock?, Where's my phone?, What's for dinner?'


I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history, music and literature -but now, they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!?


One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . She had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when she turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe .I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "With admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."


In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:


1) No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.
2) These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
3) They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
4) The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.


A story of legend in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it. And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'


I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, no Cub Scout meeting, no last minute errand is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.


I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.


When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, he'd say, 'You're gonna love it there...'


As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible mothers.

Great Job, MOM!

GATE OF HEAVEN CEMETERY

GATE OF HEAVEN, Albuquerque, NM

It looks like we are bird watching, or looking out for flying bats.  But no, this is just how we have to read some of the inscriptions in columbarium cases.  Some of them are huge AND tall.  Thank goodness for binoculars.

This is what Rich and Barb were trying to read!

This is another columbarium space.  Beautiful wood urns - it looks like a library.

This is one of four mausoleum corridors.

We are on the grounds once again, literally.  Although it is still cold here, and windy on this day, we are glad to be outside.  It won't be long before we look forward to going back to the library on HOT days. 

The Recording of a Cemetery

                                                       Mount Calvary, Albuquerque, NM

I found this poem that expresses so well what we all feel when we write, transcribe and walk a cemetery.  The poem is by Thelma C. Reagan.  Enjoy it!

Today we walked where others walked
On a lonely, windswept hill;
Today we talked where others cried
For loved ones whose lives are stilled.
Today our hearts were touched
By graves of tiny babies;
Snatched from the arms of loving kin,
In the heartbreak of the ages.
Today we saw where the grandparents lay
In the last sleep of their time;
Lying under the trees and clouds,
Their beds kissed by the sun and wind.

Today we wondered about an unmarked spot;
Who lies beneath this hallowed ground?
Was it a baby, child, young or old?
No indication can be found.

Today we saw where Mom and Dad lay,
We had been here once before
On a day we'd all like to forget,
But will remember forever more.

Today we recorded for kith and kin
The graves of ancestors past,
To be preserved for generations hence,
A record we hope will last.
Cherish it, my friend; preserve it, my friend,
For stones sometimes crumble to dust
And generations of folks yet to come
Will be grateful for your trust.

Thank you to everyone in this group that works very hard to preserve our future by honoring our past.

                                                 Encino Cemetery, Encino, New Mexico

Why are we NOT working in a cemetery!

Ah, beautiful February when we all look forward to getting out onto the cemetery grounds again.  We've made it through the cold months of December and January, now warming temperatures.  WAIT!!  What was I thinking!  Just as we were getting ready to rewalk Gate of Heaven this week, God had other plans for us. 

It started Monday when it was a bit too chilly to go outside - about 37 degrees at 10 a.m.  Oh well, we just enjoyed the warmth of the library.  After all, we could go on Wednesday.  But those plans were very quickly dashed when it started to SNOW on Tuesday.  It is very difficult to walk a cemetery and read tombstones when they are covered with snow! 

To add insult to injury, or something like that, the temperatures in Albuquerque dropped right into the Artic range.  Tuesday night the low was 4 degrees; the high on Wednesday was 6 degrees, the low on Wednesday night was MINUS 11 degrees, and Thursday night it was minus 10. 

The state of New Mexico broke 32 weather records that have stood since 1931.  Five cities recorded their coldest temps ever (Moriarty at -34, Pecos at -31, Ruidoso at -27, Capitan at -22 and Socorro at -14.  It is so cold that water freezes in 10 seconds outside.  Pipes are breaking all over the city and the plumbers cannot keep up.  Even my mother is without hot water since a pipe froze in the hot water closet.

And to make matters worse, PNM is having difficulty providing natural gas to everyone so they have heat.  Several cities (Alamogordo, Espanola and others) are without any heat.  Albuquerque is shutting down to conserve and all are asked to turn heaters down and not run gas-consuming appliances.

As of Friday, February 4, the following is noted in the Albuquerque Journal:
**APS has closed for a record fourth day (mothers are crying all over the city!)
**Cracks in the train tracks are forcing trains to run at half speed
**UNM and CNM colleges are closed until Monday
**Albuquerque zoo, museums, aquarium and botanical gardens are closed
**Sandia Labs and Kirtland AFB closed

The tombstone groupies will be back outside when temperatures return above 40 degrees.

This is a picture of our road in Corrales three days after it snowed.  It is so cold the snow won't melt for quite awhile.  It is an ice rink.