Hiasvtoernics BY LORI DRAZ
A Walk Among the Tombstones
Part 4
Historic Havens once again takes another Walk Among the Tombstones.
Leading us is our tour guide, Beth Woolley. We are so grateful
for her time and knowledge. Woolley and her husband, Peter,
are the owners of Peaceable Kingdom monuments and in her 40-year
career, Beth has designed close to 10,000 tombstones and memorials,
-
touring cemeteries throughout the nation. Woolley was also recently
featured in The New York Times for doing Dorothy Parker's gravestone
in the Bronx’s Woodlawn Cemetery. The famous author was born in Long
the circle is complete.
Cemeteries are nothing to fear. They are intriguing places, full of
history, incredible artwork and tranquility, so don’t be afraid to visit. Remember
you’re just visiting, not moving in – yet.
Let’s meet some of New Jersey’s famous and fascinating eternal res-
bomber that dropped the "Little Boy" atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan
The show business world is well-represented in the Garden State.
At Eatontown’s White Ridge Cemetery, you can visit legendary jazz musician’s
Count Basie’s parents, Harvey Lee and Lillian (Childs) Basie. Both of
his parents were musicians too. Basie’s brothers, William and Leroy, are
also buried there.
Actor James Coco can be found in St. Gertrude's Roman Catholic
Cemetery in Colonia. The actor received an Emmy, a Drama Desk and
Monmouth County Police Department.
20 OCTOBER 2021 | TheJournalNJ.com
three Obie Awards, as well
as nominations for a Tony,
an Academy Award and two
Golden Globe Awards. Coco’s
memorable face and wide
acting range led to busy career
that unfortunately ended
too soon when he passed
from a heart attack at only 56.
He was a favorite of
Neil Simon whose "The Last
of the Red Hot Lovers" was
written for him, and earned
Simon a Tony Award nom-
included “Murder by Death,”
“Only When I Laugh,” which
garnered his sole Oscar nomination,
and “Ensign Pulver.”
His TV work as a character actor led him to roles on such sitcoms as
“Maude,” “Alice” and “Who’s the Boss.” He won an Emmy for his dramatic
performance on “St. Elsewhere.”
New Jersey is also devoted to its beloved animal companions. On
Police Department was unveiled in front of the Monmouth County Police
-
Plainsboro is the resting place for Elsie the Cow, the smiling bovine
Fair, outdrawing every other World’s Fair exhibit. She became a media
sensation, appearing at numerous public events, in movies, magazines
and more.
Stillmeadow Animal Rest Cemetery is located at 104 Wardell Rd. in
Tinton Falls, right near the Humane Society. This beautiful spot has been
bringing comfort to pet owners for more than 60 years. There are close to
3,000 beloved pets buried there.
The Old Rumson Road Cemetery at the intersection of Rumson and
Conover Lane has an interesting crypt partially underground – complete
with iron doors, iron bars and banked with earth. This is the home of three
members of the Parmly family, one of Rumson’s largest land owners. At
one time, this family’s huge track of land stretched from river to river, and
they peacefully remain in town.
Gravestones have a language all
their own. Walking through a cemetery,
you may see ornately carved
trees, cut in the middle. Woolley said
this was popular in the 1800s as an
indication of someone, often a soldier,
who died early or whose life was cut
down before reaching its full height,
just like the tree.
Some are headscratchers like an
unusual pillar with ornate carvings
I stumbled upon during my walk
through the tombstones (pictured
above). The oddest thing is the staircase which left the experts unsure.
New technologies and imported granites have changed the industry.
Woolley shared the story of a stone in Neptune’s Mt. Prospect. It is
laser-etched photography on imported black granite, designed for a
coach who loved to run the boardwalk. “I saw the perfect boardwalk photo
hanging on the wall of local eatery, so I purchased the right to use the
photo,” Wooley said.
that we will be back again next year for another stroll.
/TheJournalNJ.com