|
|
|
Hannibal, MO —
Bruce Sparks just loves the view from atop Riverside Cemetery.
In fact, he likes it so much he makes a daily visit with his lifelong friend Larry Wienhoff.
“It’s a beautiful spot,” Sparks said in his deep, raspy baritone voice. “It’s peaceful up here.”
He and Wienhoff don’t miss any moment when turkeys and deer make their way out of the woods and start roaming the cemetery. Just last week the duo saw a number of does running around the headstones and open land, and an eight-point buck making a gradual trip across the grass.
“He was just moseying along, eating,” Sparks said. “Wasn’t paying attention to us.”
Sparks has no family buried on the grounds of the historic cemetery, but he said he has great respect for the famous figures laid there and the dead in general. That’s why the Thursday meeting of the Riverside Cemetery Association Board interests him. Sparks doesn’t like seeing headstones vandalized and knocked over, and the lack of upkeep also has him frazzled at the care and attention the dead are receiving at the cemetery. All the scenarios have him curious about joining the board.
“When Pete (Danielsons) was still on the board, he wanted me to get on the board and I never did do it,” Sparks said. “I don’t know that I’d want to run the show, but I want a supporting role in getting things done up here. And some people having respect for what this is.”
Sparks and Wienhoff noticed more stones were damaged and tipped over about a year ago. They attributed it to people sneaking into the cemetery on Halloween night and causing trouble. Sparks though said that won’t happen this year. He plans on avoiding superstition and hanging out late at night in Riverside, waiting for anyone who may plan to pull a prank or two.
“We want some of these stones fixed that are knocked down. It happened last Halloween and they’re going to get a surprise this Halloween because this old man’s going to be up here,” Sparks said. “I’ll be up here after dark. I’m gonna get me a plug-in flood light, I catch somebody up here messing around, I’m gonna throw that light on ‘em. I’m gonna run right down on ‘em. They give me any s***, I’ll give ‘em a face full of pepper spray.”
Sparks and Wienhoff both plan to be at the James O’Donnell Funeral Home Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. for the board meeting. Wienhoff’s wife has relatives buried on the grounds. According Debbie Stith, the cemetery’s treasurer, anyone with family or interest in Riverside Cemetery is encouraged to come to the meeting.
Bruce Sparks just loves the view from atop Riverside Cemetery.
In fact, he likes it so much he makes a daily visit with his lifelong friend Larry Wienhoff.
“It’s a beautiful spot,” Sparks said in his deep, raspy baritone voice. “It’s peaceful up here.”
He and Wienhoff don’t miss any moment when turkeys and deer make their way out of the woods and start roaming the cemetery. Just last week the duo saw a number of does running around the headstones and open land, and an eight-point buck making a gradual trip across the grass.
“He was just moseying along, eating,” Sparks said. “Wasn’t paying attention to us.”
Sparks has no family buried on the grounds of the historic cemetery, but he said he has great respect for the famous figures laid there and the dead in general. That’s why the Thursday meeting of the Riverside Cemetery Association Board interests him. Sparks doesn’t like seeing headstones vandalized and knocked over, and the lack of upkeep also has him frazzled at the care and attention the dead are receiving at the cemetery. All the scenarios have him curious about joining the board.
“When Pete (Danielsons) was still on the board, he wanted me to get on the board and I never did do it,” Sparks said. “I don’t know that I’d want to run the show, but I want a supporting role in getting things done up here. And some people having respect for what this is.”
Sparks and Wienhoff noticed more stones were damaged and tipped over about a year ago. They attributed it to people sneaking into the cemetery on Halloween night and causing trouble. Sparks though said that won’t happen this year. He plans on avoiding superstition and hanging out late at night in Riverside, waiting for anyone who may plan to pull a prank or two.
“We want some of these stones fixed that are knocked down. It happened last Halloween and they’re going to get a surprise this Halloween because this old man’s going to be up here,” Sparks said. “I’ll be up here after dark. I’m gonna get me a plug-in flood light, I catch somebody up here messing around, I’m gonna throw that light on ‘em. I’m gonna run right down on ‘em. They give me any s***, I’ll give ‘em a face full of pepper spray.”
Sparks and Wienhoff both plan to be at the James O’Donnell Funeral Home Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. for the board meeting. Wienhoff’s wife has relatives buried on the grounds. According Debbie Stith, the cemetery’s treasurer, anyone with family or interest in Riverside Cemetery is encouraged to come to the meeting.
