In the last several months, Lighthouse Digest has placed light keeper memorial markers at 15 lighthouse keepers’ from the U.S. Lighthouse Service and U.S. Coast Guard. And we plan on placing more markers in the weeks and months ahead. There are also several markers that have been placed by family members and others at lighthouse keepers’ gravesites around the country.
One of the biggest questions we get after we run any of these stories in the Lighthouse Digest about the markers we have placed, is “How come you didn’t place a marker for my great-grandfather, uncle, father, etc.?”
There are several reasons.
Of course, we can only do one cemetery at a time. We certainly can’t do ceremonies for EVERY light keeper who ever served our country since the 1700s. And we have limited resources. While we have received donations from a number of people, this project is still mostly funded by Lighthouse Digest.
And last but not least, we don’t know where many lighthouse keepers are buried.
So what can you do to make sure that every lighthouse keeper gets this honor they so richly deserve?
Let us know who you think needs to be honored and, and most importantly, where they are buried, and the lighthouses and years they were lighthouse keepers. And, if you have a photo of the keeper, please send a high quality copy to us.
Make a donation to the Light Keepers Grave Marker Fund.
And of course, please remember that we cannot be everywhere – any individual or group can take the initiative and place a marker at those lighthouse keepers in your area. For example, we are grateful to Lighthouse Digest subscriber Ron Janard who continues on his quest in placing markers at gravesites and Dave Gamage who has also placed a number of markers.
Want to plan your own ceremony?
To help you get started, please visit our website at www.LighthouseDigest.com/USLHSgraves for more details, songs, prayers, and other ideas.
Need to purchase a grave marker?
Please go to www.USLifeSavingMarker.com to purchase markers for the U.S. Lighthouse Service or U.S. Coast Guard plus the Keeper insignia.
If you do your own ceremony, please be sure to take photos of the ceremony and the gravesite with the marker placed. Ceremonies can be a big ta-do or a small private memorial. No matter the type of ceremony you have, please share that keeper’s story and photographs with us to be published in Lighthouse Digest.
It is said that a person actually dies twice; once with their last breath and then with the last time their name is spoken. Don’t let the memories of these protectors of our shores die.
www.GoFundMe.com/USLHSGraves
Lighthouse Keeper Grave Marker Fund
P.O. Box 250
East Machias, ME 04630
This story appeared in the
Jul/Aug 2016 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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