1. The person requesting information should contact a cemetery committee member. If the person contacts the funeral home first they will be referred to a committee member.
2. The committee member will obtain information regarding the deceased person’s relationship or ties to the church and cemetery:
a. Was the deceased person a member of the church?
b. Are any immediate family members of the church?
c. What relatives do they have buried in the cemetery?
d. Any other question to determine if they are eligible to be buried there and if a charge will be incurred.
3. The committee member will meet with or call the other committee members with the information obtained and get a decision of the members.
4. The committee member will then contact the person requesting the information and meet with the family at the cemetery to determine the site of the burial. If there is any question about whether the site requested is available and it cannot be solved at that point, the committee member should get back with the other committee members before authorizing the burial. The family should be told if there will be a charge and that if Beggs Funeral Home is handling the funeral, Beggs will collect the money. A copy of the Rules and Regulations of the Waukeenah Cemetery should be given to the family. Certain items, such as the time frame for installing a permanent identifying marker, should be discussed.
5. After the decision is made, the committee member will contact the funeral home and let them know that it has been approved and if there will be a charge. The committee member will also instruct the funeral home where the excess soil should be put.
RULES, REGULATIONS, AND POLICY OF THE CEMETERY
1. CEMETERY COMMITTEE: This committee shall be made up of a minimum of three (3) members, two (2) of which must be Trustees. Appointments to fill vacancies will be made by the church Trustees.
2. Will be reserved for use by persons who are members of the Waukeenah United Methodist Church at the time of their death, their spouse at the time of the member’s death and their children. At the time of the child’s death, the child must reside with the member or was dependent upon the member for support., there shall be no charge for grave sites for the persons described above.
The cemetery committee may allow, by majority vote, persons not described above to be buried in the cemetery. The committee may consider the following factors when making an allowances decision:
a. Whether relatives of the person for whom burial is sought are buried in the cemetery. The committee may consider the degree of kinship involved, number of relatives and the person for whom burial is sought.
b. Past or present direct financial or “in kind” support of the church, including the cemetery fund, by the person for whom burial is sought.
c. Whether the person for whom burial is sought was a past member of the church.
d. In the event burial is permitted, a required donation of $500.00 per grave site shall be assessed and paid by the deceased’s estate or the person requesting burial rights on behalf of the deceased. This amount may be paid directly to the Waukeenah United Methodist Church Cemetery Fund or added to the funeral charges and collected by the Funeral Director.
e. Regarding burial of cremains, a fee of $100.00 shall be assessed for burial between or at the foot or head of existing family gravestones. If cremains burial is requested for a full grave site, the $500.00 grave site fee applies.
3. GRAVE SITE SELECTIONS: Individual grave sites shall be approved by a current member of the cemetery committee.
4. LOT SELECTION AND EXPANSION: Lots will be made available for members as they may have need and request such. Members may select and expand from vacant lots if the need arises but not over select or expand. Any member who wishes a cemetery lot may select from any available lot which is adequate for his/her needs. A lot consists of eight (8) grave sites (20 ft. X 20 ft. or 10 ft. X 40 ft.). One may also select a quarter or half lot. Members who reside in the same household are limited to one lot per household. Lots selected shall be approved by the cemetery committee. Lots shall be selected so as to not unduly restrict access to other lots or grave sites. Lots shall be selected to, so far as possible, maximize the space available for other lots and grass.
5. IDENTIFICATION OF SUB-DIVIDED LOTS: Present and future lot markers will be used and recorded on present master plan. Lot markers must be placed at ground level.
6. TYPE AND IDENTIFICATION OF GRAVE: Permanent identifying markers must be placed on each grave which may include headstone and/or slab, within six (6) months of burial. Vaults must be used in each grave with the top no higher than ground level. Cremains containers must be enclosed in concrete or a vault.
7. REMOVAL OF DEAD FLOWERS AND CONTAINERS: Persons placing flowers at grave sites shall be responsible for removing the flowers when such becomes unsightly, including artificial flowers. The cemetery committee reserves the right to make a final judgment on removal of such.