A cemetery sexton may conjure up an archaic character from a Charles Dickens’ novel, but Morgan Cook says his job at Taylor’s cemetery is a bit more involved than that.
Cook stopped by the Taylor Press March 15 to film an episode of “Taylor Talk with Jason Hennington” and discuss the modern-day challenges associated with his centuriesold job.
“The term comes from the old days when cemeteries used to all be part of churches, and it’s basically the groundskeeper, or the person in charge of them,” Cook said. “I do everything from mowing, all the way up to recording the records, making sure they are up to date, marking graves, setting our budgets for the coming year, things like that.”
One such difficulty arises from keeping the cemetery tidy, a task that includes working around or even removing memorial items placed on gravesites, Cook said.
“Mowing and weed-eating are our No. 1 priority pretty much,” said Cook, who is one of only two fulltime staffers at the 140acre, city-owned cemetery. “All of the items out there can delay the time it takes to mow because you have to work your way around everything out there.”
Last year, the cemetery faced complaints from families after the city started picking up graveside memorials, including crosses, solar lights, photos and other personal effects.
The staff is only following rules that have been on the books for years and are designed to help with maintenance and aesthetics, the sexton said.
“Right after I started, I was told we need to start enforcing the rules, so I examined the rules and regulations on hand, and while they were good, they needed a bit more precise wording,” Cook added.
While fresh flowers and other effects are still allowed at a grave for up to seven days after a funeral, he said, people are also permitted to keep a vase with one small bouquet there as well.
Cook said he can understand the frustration caused by taking away memorials, especially from families who work hard to keep their loved one’s last resting place tidy.
“It is unfortunate because there are a lot of people that do keep their spaces and lots nice, but we can’t pick and choose,” Cook said. “We have to treat every grave, every family and lot the same.”
However, Cook said he makes an effort to work with mourners.
“For example, I have had families ask, ‘Well, we have this small cross,’ or something like that,” he said. “I say, ‘If you can find a way to permanently attach it to the headstone, so that way it’s not loose or going to get hit or messed with or the mowing paths, and it’s permanently attached, there shouldn’t be a problem with that.’” In addition to groundskeeping chores, another modern challenge Cook is addressing is digitizing information on the 19,000 cemetery plots.
“It’s a lot to keep track of, but we are just about to implement a new software system where you can actually go and search your loved one’s grave (without a paper map),” Cook said. “It will also have on there where you can add a photo or an obituary of your loved one, things of that nature, and memories... (And) it will help me and my guy manage the cemetery better where we can make notes, have work orders.”
“Taylor Talk” airs the second Monday of the month on the Taylor Press’ Facebook page. To watch this and other episodes, visit https:// www.facebook.com/ GoTaylorTx.
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It’s a lot to keep track of, but we are just about to implement a new software system where you can actually go and search your loved one’s grave (without a paper map).”
- Morgan Cook, Taylor cemetery sexton
