Tri-State veteran says cemetery’s conditions ‘disrespectful’
‘It says the owner has to maintain the sites in a reasonable manner -- and I don’t think it’s being done’
BURLINGTON, KY (FOX19) - Kenneth Victor says you’ll miss the gravestones if you’re not looking for them.
“See that 'N'? I scratched that off, otherwise, you don’t know that’s a gravestone," he said.
More than 100 grave sites and headstones on the grounds of Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery have been forgotten -- covered in weeds, leaves, and brush, according to Victor. He doesn’t know how long they’ve sat this way, but he spotted the problem while visiting his family’s graves this past year. He said he noticed a headstone peeking out behind some leaves.
He reached out to the cemetery and was told they didn’t know what he was talking about.
“I made a list of maybe 120 sites and I said, ‘Hey, these need to be corrected.’ The office said they didn’t know anything about the person who said all I had to do was call," he said.
Victor reached out to state and local officials, too. He has the papers to prove it.
“I don’t think this is right. The state law is pretty clear. It says the owner has to maintain the sites in a reasonable manner -- and I don’t think it’s being done," he said.
What hurts the most for him? The fact that fellow veteran graves are some of the ones left that way.
“What’s aggravating as the devil is to ride up there on Armistice Day and see the booth for veterans and 100 yards a way are a bunch of veterans graves that are just trashed," he said.
FOX19 was not allowed on the property, but Victor checked out those grave sites and says it looks like no one has paid any attention to them or his concerns that the graves be properly maintained.
A spokesperson with Memorial Park sent FOX19 this statement:
"Forest Lawn Memorial Park's mission is to help families memorialize every life with dignity, including providing and maintaining a tranquil and beautiful place for memorialization. In this instance, we have fallen short of our standards. The matter is being addressed, and we want to reassure our families and the local community that we are committed to serving them and their loved ones."
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