NEWSWORTHY

Family Plots Make a Comeback at Springdale

In the early days of Springdale, large family plots were commonplace. Walk or drive around the cemetery, particularly the older sections, and you’ll notice numerous single large monuments engraved with a family name. They’re typically surrounded by smaller headstones or markers where individual family members are buried.

That approach to memorialization fell out of popularity decades ago, but two local families are bringing it back to Springdale in a big way. On your next visit to the cemetery, head toward the mausoleum to view two beautiful structures marking two new family plots. Both were constructed entirely with private dollars.

Johnson Private Mausoleum
Prior to 2020, there were 15 private mausoleums at Springdale, the first built in 1859 by the Zotz family and the last in 1935 by the Fromme family. That changed recently, with the completion of a three-year construction project. The Johnson family private mausoleum is now the newest and largest such structure at the cemetery, featuring 10 indoor crypts, multiple niches for cremated remains and several dozen outdoor burial sites. Family members interred elsewhere (both at Springdale and other cemeteries) will be moved to the mausoleum, and the Johnson family has established a perpetual care endowment to ensure ongoing maintenance of the structure and landscaping.

Allen, Derges & Oberhelman Family Burial Obelisks
Local property developer Diane Cullinan Oberhelman and her husband, Doug, retired CEO of Caterpillar, are the family behind this new addition to Springdale. Diane’s mother, Tilley Derges Allen, died in 2018, and the Oberhelmans wanted to memorialize her, her parents and other family members in a special way. They purchased a number of burial sites directly across from the mausoleum, and after reviewing multiple design ideas for monuments, the couple chose obelisks to mark the family plot. Construction of these unique markers was finished in mid-2020.

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