After years of careful planning, research and consideration, a project to replace or restore gravesites at Fishburn United Church Cemetery, located 26 kilometres southeast of Pincher Creek via Highway 507, is complete.

On Sept. 10, a three-man crew from Southern Monument of Lethbridge carried out a full day of restoration work at the historic rural cemetery. In total, the crew successfully restored 29 graves, with 10 small new stones installed on fresh bases, several older monuments lifted, levelled and reset on new foundations, and 14 cracked or broken cement grave covers removed. 

Depressions were filled with donated soil from Keith Fitzpatrick, and cemetery registrar Margo MacLean and her husband, Harry, have already begun efforts to reseed to restore the grassy areas.

Among the stones reset was the monument marking the Duffield family grave, where Emma Duffield and her children, who died of diphtheria, are buried together.

“That stone had sunk so far you couldn’t read one of the children’s names, and now it sits on a solid new base, and all of the names are visible again, which is just lovely,” Margo says.

For Margo, who has served as registrar of the cemetery since 2001, the project is the culmination of years of concern about the condition of many monuments. When first taking over the role of registrar, it was clear to Margo immediately that many of the graves and monuments were in disrepair and had been that way for years.

While the Fishburn United Church congregation saw a need long ago to restore the gravesites, they simply did not have the money or manpower to make it happen.

“Periodically, there would be discussions about straightening some of the stones and trying to do something about the broken and cracked grave covers, but the size of the congregation has dwindled over the years and in a farming and ranching community people are always busy,” Margo explains.

“The will was there, but it seemed like we didn’t have the time or money to do a big project.”

That all changed when Margo, with the help of grant writer for the Town and MD of Pincher Creek, Liza Dawber, applied for a grant and submitted it to the Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta’s Community Priorities Fund.

Not long after the application, the project was provided $13,210 in funding through the CFLSA’s Community Priorities Fund. Combined with support from the MD of Pincher Creek and local donors, the committee was able to bring in professionals with the right tools and equipment to restore the beautiful cemetery.

“Southern Monument sent out a great crew, and they really did a wonderful job. It was a long day, but they got it all done,” Margo says.

Now that the project is complete, she expresses gratitude to all who contributed. From the CFLSA and MD of Pincher Creek, to local supporters, she notes that the project could not have come to fruition without many helping hands.

“I am extremely happy and grateful to the people of the community who were so supportive and I am very proud,” says Margo. 

“In the words of Roland Milligan, the CAO of the MD of Pincher Creek, ‘This project will play a crucial role in preserving our community’s history.’ ”