Since 2015, I volunteer my time here on Find-A-Grave. I've been involved in cemetery preservation work since 2018, initially with the Giving Back Project as a working tribute to honor my grandmother Juanita who raised me. She taught me the importance of being a good cemeterian. More than 100 stones were cleaned and preserved in that first effort. I won a D2 kit in that national contest, which really increased my preservation efforts. Since then, I have cleaned, treated and preserved hundreds more monuments in Goodbread, Boone pioneer cemetery, Henson, and Buchanon.

My last full-scale project was to clean and treat all of the pre-1900s monuments in Glenn Cemetery where my grandmother rests, which has been successfully completed and documented with photography. There were 144 pre-1900s monuments completed at Glenn Cemetery, along with quite a few early 1900s monuments. This project was done with permission from Daniel Jarrett, who is on the board of directors for the cemetery. Mr. Jarrett also helped me recognize and begin to utilize the art of dowsing, which is useful in locating lost graves or pinpointing locations of burials.

The Friends of Boone Cemetery project is one that I had to receive permission for from the Federal government. Legally, before any work could be done on that property, I had to submit a detailed plan for all work and have it pre-approved, which I did during the pandemic in 2020. Once it was approved, the first order of business was clearing brush and fallen trees. It was a heavy-duty project and I was very thankful to have the help of a few friends and a family member for that. That project was the toughest one so far, as the cemetery is located on the side of a steep bluff full of trees, rocks and rattlesnakes. The location was chosen by my county's first settlers for its safety from flooding and for the beautiful view. While working to get pre-approved to do the project, I was told by the Forestry Service that about once every ten years, someone like me comes along and volunteers for this. So, it is my hope that around 2030, the right person will come along to organize preservation efforts as we pass the torch along to the next generation and thank them in advance! My favorite experience in the Friends of Boone Project was cleaning Benningsen's stone and finding a hand-carved artist rendering of the actual log cabin on the farm where he lived, which had been covered by moss and lichen. It is amazing! In my own workshop, I have attempted to try my hand at carving stone with chisels, which gives me an appreciation on a whole other level!

I use D2 Biological Solution and professional hand tools made for head stones to clean and preserve the monuments. The work that I do typically lasts for at least 4-5 years, unless the monument is in a location that receives an excess of biological materials, then it can be as little as only one or two seasons. Some of the very old monuments are best left alone, depending on the condition and the material. If you're not sure, please consult an expert. I received my training through the National Center for Preservation Technology & Training (U.S. Park Service).

I'm also a member of Ancestry DNA, where I have found more living family members than I ever dreamed possible.

Since 2015, I volunteer my time here on Find-A-Grave. I've been involved in cemetery preservation work since 2018, initially with the Giving Back Project as a working tribute to honor my grandmother Juanita who raised me. She taught me the importance of being a good cemeterian. More than 100 stones were cleaned and preserved in that first effort. I won a D2 kit in that national contest, which really increased my preservation efforts. Since then, I have cleaned, treated and preserved hundreds more monuments in Goodbread, Boone pioneer cemetery, Henson, and Buchanon.

My last full-scale project was to clean and treat all of the pre-1900s monuments in Glenn Cemetery where my grandmother rests, which has been successfully completed and documented with photography. There were 144 pre-1900s monuments completed at Glenn Cemetery, along with quite a few early 1900s monuments. This project was done with permission from Daniel Jarrett, who is on the board of directors for the cemetery. Mr. Jarrett also helped me recognize and begin to utilize the art of dowsing, which is useful in locating lost graves or pinpointing locations of burials.

The Friends of Boone Cemetery project is one that I had to receive permission for from the Federal government. Legally, before any work could be done on that property, I had to submit a detailed plan for all work and have it pre-approved, which I did during the pandemic in 2020. Once it was approved, the first order of business was clearing brush and fallen trees. It was a heavy-duty project and I was very thankful to have the help of a few friends and a family member for that. That project was the toughest one so far, as the cemetery is located on the side of a steep bluff full of trees, rocks and rattlesnakes. The location was chosen by my county's first settlers for its safety from flooding and for the beautiful view. While working to get pre-approved to do the project, I was told by the Forestry Service that about once every ten years, someone like me comes along and volunteers for this. So, it is my hope that around 2030, the right person will come along to organize preservation efforts as we pass the torch along to the next generation and thank them in advance! My favorite experience in the Friends of Boone Project was cleaning Benningsen's stone and finding a hand-carved artist rendering of the actual log cabin on the farm where he lived, which had been covered by moss and lichen. It is amazing! In my own workshop, I have attempted to try my hand at carving stone with chisels, which gives me an appreciation on a whole other level!

I use D2 Biological Solution and professional hand tools made for head stones to clean and preserve the monuments. The work that I do typically lasts for at least 4-5 years, unless the monument is in a location that receives an excess of biological materials, then it can be as little as only one or two seasons. Some of the very old monuments are best left alone, depending on the condition and the material. If you're not sure, please consult an expert. I received my training through the National Center for Preservation Technology & Training (U.S. Park Service).

I'm also a member of Ancestry DNA, where I have found more living family members than I ever dreamed possible.