Tree branches, pipe fittings and a construction cone sit in one of the open grave plots at Greenwood Memorial Park in Centralia in this Chronicle file photo from 2014.
A bill in the state Legislature that would protect previously purchased burial plots in abandoned cemeteries unanimously passed in the House this week, and local lawmakers say it could benefit Greenwood Memorial Park in Centralia passed by the Senate and signed into law.
House Bill 1907 is sponsored by state Reps. Ed Orcutt and Richard DeBolt, both Republicans in the 20th District. The bill would address issues that arise when a cemetery is abandoned but someone already owns a burial plot there.
“It’s essentially a property rights issue,” Orcutt said. “If a cemetery is abandoned, out of neglect or otherwise, folks who’ve bought burial plots there should still have access to that space.”
The bill would also expand the definition of a cemetery to include burial parks, mausoleums and columbariums.
It specifies requirements for the transfer records, including maps and other documents, to the state archives when a cemetery no longer has an official owner.
This could have positive effects for Greenwood Memorial Park in Centralia, which has faced numerous ownership problems after two previous sextons were either jailed or forced to stop operating the cemetery.
Under current state laws, an abandoned cemetery is defined as a burial ground for which the county assessor has no record of ownership or the last known owner is dead and the title was not passed on.
Since the owners are not dead, and there are records, Greenwood cannot currently be considered abandoned despite there being no organization that actively runs the private cemetery.
Despite this, volunteers have taken it upon themselves to clean up the cemetery since 2010, when the original sexton was jailed.
Christina Sivewright has organized these efforts. Six generations and more than 50 of her family members rest at the cemetery.
While she said the bill doesn’t go as far as it could, it is positive movement on an issue that has stagnated in recent years.
“If it truly provides families with an avenue to honor their loved ones and honor their wishes and preserve their burial plots … it’s a step in the right direction,” Sivewright said.
Current laws dealing with abandoned cemeteries are old, she said, and she would like to see more updates.
DeBolt said in a message that he is glad the bill passed the House, and that he’s talked with many locals about the issue.
“We’re really excited that that bill got out,” he said. “I was glad to help out any way that I could.”
In a later phone call, he credited Orcutt as being the driving force behind the bill.
The largest benefit for Greenwood Memorial Park, DeBolt said, is that it will provide flexibility for the cemetery district to make changes.
In the meantime, Sivewright said she is planning on organizing another cemetery cleanup day prior to Memorial Day.
While there are no scheduled dates yet, she is hoping for a good turnout.
Last year, between 40 to 50 volunteers showed up to perform maintenance at the site.
