Olive Hill Cemetery

Greetings to all.

As most of us who live in or around Oklahoma know, the weather is often an instigator, something that causes us to move or do something unplanned. Spring brought continued rain that worried some, yet our Memorial Day meeting was met with sunny skies and unneeded umbrellas. And a very much appreciated breeze. Because of the saturated surface, we chose to move from our regular peaceful site among the cedars to our veteran’s memorial plaza. Except for some traffic noise, the location proved excellent.

      This year we saw the (semi) retirement of a long-time member of our elected officers. Donna Hocking has spent years finding, sorting, and building a modern template of the foundation of our OHC information and history. Donna decided to assist in helping another become familiar with the inner workings of the Secretary/Treasurer position, passing forward her knowledge. The depth of our appreciation for her past service cannot be truly expressed.

      In a way, Donna’s absence is like losing the front wheel off the wagon. Happily, Erinn Lay has agreed to step forward and take on this task. Erinn has lived in Oklahoma almost her entire life and her connection with Olive Hill Cemetery runs directly to the founders. Her grandparents would be extremely proud of her commitment. We appreciate Erinn accepting this responsibility. With the skills evident from her career path and Donna’s continued support, we can be sure this task of navigating new territory will continue to bring the best for Olive Hill Cemetery.

      During our meetings each year, we discuss possible changes, upcoming needs that should be addressed, and any concerns we’ve heard about. As an example, the entry gate has been slowly but constantly sagging. We modified the design to lighten the load on the hinges. To save money, we cut the existing gate in half and hinged both sides. It is now easier to operate.

      As for the property itself, it looks great. The trees survived another round of winter in Oklahoma, the lawn appears healthy, and the headstones clean and in good shape. For the most part, we have been successful in finding and keeping service vendors we know and can trust.

      All in all, we can faithfully report that the cemetery is in good shape. Olive Hill Cemetery is a beautiful and peaceful place because of a long list of dedicated people who worked to make it so. It provides a beautiful environment for our meeting thanks to Providence and the diligence of those involved in caring for it.

      We continually try to update our mailing list so if anyone has a member of their family that would like to receive our annual bulletin, contact secretary@olivehill.org to include them on the mailing list.

Charles “Zeke” Lay, OHCA, Chairman