Hiasvtoernics BY LORI DRAZ
A Walk Among the Tombstones
Part 3
Historic Havens is honored once again to welcome our tour guide
Beth Woolley as we take our annual Walk Among the Tombstones.
Woolley and her husband, Peter, are the owners of Peaceable
-
ies nationwide and has designed more than 10,000 tombstones and
Branch and numerous historic site monuments and plaques including
ones for the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy and the National Park Service.
Cemeteries are nothing to fear. They are intriguing places, full of
history, incredible artwork and tranquility, so don’t be afraid to visit –
there are plenty of people there just waiting to see you.
Rather, use your camera to capture images instead of doing rubbings
which, over time, wear down the
stones. They are, after all, important to
the residents of the graveyards. New
famous and fascinating folks. Monmouth
County alone hosts a registry of
amazing eternal residents.
We begin our tour at Monmouth
Memorial Park in Tinton Falls where we
meet professional football player and
coach Sam Mills. Mills played 12 seasons
for the New Orleans Saints and the
Bowler and also had a career in the United States Football League. Mills
started 173 out of 181 games. He never missed a Panthers game, even
after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. He scheduled treatments
on the team's days off. Mills' #51 jersey was retired by the Panthers,
Also residing in Monmouth Memorial Park is musician and compos-
Convention Hall in Asbury Park. His evening concerts were broadcast on
44 OCTOBER 2020 | TheJournalNJ.com
radio station WCAP, and he also performed
at the Mayfair Theater in the
country to use synchronized lighting
effects during his recitals because he
felt different keys and moods in music
suggested certain colors.
Staying in a musical mood, we
move to Neptune’s Mount Calvary
Cemetery to meet opera singer Guido
Ciccolini. The famous tenor was
recorded by Thomas Edison as one
of his famed Italian Tenors series
on cylinders and diamond discs. On
a curious note, Ciccolini also had
a ticket to sail on the RMS Titanic
(which his family still has), but at the last minute, he missed the sailing
due to a performance scheduling change, giving a whole new meaning to
the “Show must go on.” He was a popular performer in America and Italy.
There are many military graves, like that of Horace Porter, found in Old
First Methodist cemetery in West Long Branch. Porter was an American soldier
and diplomat who served in the Union Army during the American Civil
War. He was personal secretary to General and President Ulysses S. Grant. He
also was secretary to General William T. Sherman, vice president of the Pullman
Palace Car Company and U.S. Ambassador to France from 1897 to 1905.
Some residents like to share a smile or some good advice like Wilma
Greenspan, whose grave in the Agudath Achim Cemetery reads, “Maintain
your sense of humor. It’s all you have left.” Another is the grave of Miriam
Bell, found in the Roosevelt cemetery, who shares her favorite Dorothy Parker
quote: “The cure for boredom is curiosity, There is no cure for curiosity.”
Cemeteries are home to the works of some incredible artists whose
monuments are elaborate testimonies to master carvers and craftsmen.
Woolley points to St. George Greek Orthodox Cemetery
in Asbury Park. Her work is mixed in with many
other impressive stones. At the entrance, Woolley did
the stone donated by the late Stephen Pappayliou to
welcome visitors. There are plenty of others, like the
large Pappas monument, Woolley’s Megaris stone
And there are hundreds more, plus we haven’t
even touched on the massive mausoleums and monuments,
meaning that we will be back again next year
for another walk.
Opera singer Guido Ciccolini is buried at Neptune’s Mount Calvary Cemetery. your walk among the tombstones.
/TheJournalNJ.com