Uniontown couple helps clean up neglected cemetery
By Joyce Koballa Herald-Standard
DUNBAR – The plight of a neglected cemetery is no longer a grave concern thanks to the ongoing efforts of a Uniontown couple that decided to pick up where two men left off with cleaning up the grounds.
Craig and Joyce Senchur decided to dig into the ongoing efforts initiated in February by Lanny Golden of North Union Township and Dennis O. Morrison of Dunbar to clean up the old Mount Auburn Cemetery after reading about it in The Herald-Standard.
What the Senchurs found was thickets, poison ivy and other underbrush that revealed additional graves once it was cleared in addition to those of veterans found over Memorial Day by Golden and Morrison.
“Everybody deserves to be remembered,” said Craig Senchur.
Senchur added there were trees between eight and 10 inches around that had grown over some of the tombstones. “You would have never guessed in your wildest dreams that there were graves under there,” he said.
Together, the Senchurs worked for three consecutive days from dawn to dusk along with their children, nephews and friends using equipment from their business, Keystone Utility Construction.
Senchur said since their company is geared toward fiber optics the couple took on the expense of renting a wood chipper and purchased three lawn mowers and some weed whackers to get the job done.
Senchur added he was touched by the history in the cemetery regarding the forgotten veterans as well as others that were killed in a mine explosion at the turn of the century.
“They died to give us the right to go out there and cut the grass,” said Senchur.
As of May, Golden reported finding the graves of 111 veterans that has increased by about two-dozen with the help of the Senchurs.
Senchur said he is still trying to locate two plots that haven’t been found.
According to Golden, family members that are now deceased maintained the old cemetery over the years. The new Mount Auburn, Saint Aloysius and Franklin cemeteries are perpetual care cemeteries.
Golden said the old and new Mount Auburn cemeteries are the largest out of the three burial sites.
“What a difference it makes,” said Senchur of the cleanup.
In addition, Senchur said the couple also plans to extend their cleanup at a segregated part of the cemetery where African Americans are buried.
At that part of the cemetery, Senchur said there are about four large trees left to cut and clear away along with planting grass seed.
Senchur said he is hoping that other good Samaritans will reach out and lend a hand. “If you can find people willing to volunteer and give two hours or one day a month just to cut the grass….”
Even so, Senchur said the couple will keep maintaining the cemetery with the goal to place solar lights throughout Mount Auburn and the African American cemeteries before December.
But, Senchur isn’t limiting himself to Dunbar having started the cleanup process at another cemetery near the former North Laurel High School located off Connellsville Street along Route 119.
“We’re not through yet,” said Senchur.