Editor, Manteca Bulletin,

Recently the East Union Memorial Cemetery had its annual meeting, where the group  re-organized, expanded the board of directors, and began taking the steps necessary to re-certify and become a fully-functioning cemetery again. 

An important priority for us is to acknowledge the work of the many people and groups who have helped keep EUMC afloat over the past seven years.  A small core of volunteers included Bill Good, Evelyn Prouty, John Strouss, Mike Hunsucker, Leon Sucht, Clyde and Paula Miller,  Gloria Stanley, and Pat Metzler — these people and others did the hands-on work that has allowed burials to continue and the grounds to be cared for. 

P.L. Fry & Son has been very supportive and helpful during this time, most recently having donated a lovely picture to brighten our office wall, and by providing refreshments for volunteers.  Judy Williams, CPA, has donated many hours of work to help manage various accounts and legal items.  The Chevron gas station owned by Hari Kamboj has made many donations over the years to keep gas in the lawn mower, allowing the grounds to be better maintained.

 Jenese Borges-Soto and Kim Hedberg, with “Gone But Not Forgotten,” have organized several workdays in an effort to restore the headstones of all the veterans buried here.  Several groups and individuals have donated time to weeding/other landscape help, and electrical or plumbing repair, including Bill Stanley, Joe Brocchini, Manteca CAPS, Rainbow Girls, Sequoia Heights Baptist Church Boy Scouts, and youth groups from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 

Recently Dave Knapp generously gave us a riding lawn mower; Bob and Vicki Miller donated a backpack leaf blower; Matt Sickler contributed a fireproof storage cabinet; McCoy Tire in Modesto repaired several tires from utility carts; Tubbs Electric repaired and replaced security lighting; and David Noah gave us a battery for one of the carts.  Also, various people have made significant monetary donations, including Lavina Hahn, Karen McLaughlin, and Willie Weatherford.

We appreciate the donation of 288 flags to adorn the graves of veterans, given to us by the American Legion.  In addition, the VFW carried out a moving tribute to those who died in service to America this past Memorial Day.  It is their practice to come to the cemetery every year on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, and we are honored to have them.

So many wonderful people and organizations have come forward, some of them wishing to remain anonymous, and it fills our new board with gratitude as we realize there are others who feel as concerned and supportive of the cemetery as we do.  It is our goal to preserve and protect this historic place, and maintain the quiet reverence that should exist here. 

Thank you.



East Union Memorial
 Cemetery Board