Gone but not forgotten

To the Editor:

Gone but not forgotten has taken on new meaning since my recent visit to Poplar Bluff, Mo. The story began 90 years ago when a five-year-old girl was laid to rest in the Woodlawn Cemetery after death from diphtheria. This little girl was my aunt, Lola Mae Trent. Shortly thereafter, my grandparents migrated from Poplar Bluff to Kansas with their two other children, one of which was my mother. Throughout the years, Lola Mae's name had not been mentioned but, otherwise, her name, with date of birth and death, as written in the family Bible, is the only reminder of my grandparents' first born daughter.

Last week I traveled to Poplar Bluff to locate Lola Mae's burial site, which would have gone undetected by me had it not been for the assistance from a lady named "Angie," an employee at the Woodlawn Cemetery. Thanks to Angie, I now have a story to share about an amazing man that deserves to be recognized as a true Samaritan in his time.

Nobody thought to ask my grandparents about Lola Mae's death. And, we all assumed she was without a marked grave. Her family were poor people, struggling to survive from one day to the next, certainly without funds for a funeral. Upon arrival at the Woodlawn Cemetery I was overwhelmed with the lack of possibility of locating Lola Mae's grave site, and was about to leave when a van pulled up beside me and a young woman asked if I needed help. When I explained my predicament, she offered to look in records for the location of the grave site. Angie opened a record book and within seconds located Lola Mae's name. As she studied the record, she noticed something she remarked was "out of the ordinary." In short order, she explained what became an interesting story about three children.

The undertaker noted on the death certificate for Lola Mae Trent is A.W. Greer. Angie explained that Mr. Greer was not only the undertaker, he also was noted as the owner of Section #282, the property where Lola Mae was buried, and he owned the monument company! Furthermore, two other children were also buried in Section #282. At the grave site, I was astounded to see headstones at each grave, each inscribed with name and dates, and "gone but not forgotten." The first family gifted by Mr. Greer were my grandparents. I can only imagine how grateful they were to Mr. Greer for providing the grave plot, and a headstone for their child. He may have also bought the casket.

The second child's inscription read as follows: Kathryn Louise Hampston, March 6, 1924 - August 9, 1924. The third grave was for a stillborn baby "Tront," October 8, 1934.

Mr. A. W. Greer possibly has descendants in Missouri that would appreciate this story. And, two other families may now learn about a man who provided the same extraordinary gift to those grieving parents.

As for Mr. Greer, he is "gone but not forgotten" for I have included his story in my family genealogy.

Sincerely,

Mary Ottaway Stokes

Benton, La.