Our visit to Florence May Palmer's grave in Humboldt SK.

To date, this is the crowning achievement of all my genealogy research!

This past June I began to consider, "What if I asked family members to contribute to purchasing a grave marker for my great grandmother?" This is Florence May (Bellamy) PALMER, who is buried in Humboldt Public Cemetery in Saskatchewan. I had asked Robert if he would drive to SK on our upcoming trip in July to Calgary, AB. Florence is my great grandmother; my Dad's grandmother.

I'd joined a FaceBook SK group which was very helpful, and Gord Neish who works at the Naicam Museum had posted a price list and a contact for Forever Memorials for those of us who wished to have our loved ones remembered in this way.

Florence had died 85 years ago, on June 20, 1931.

I felt it would be fitting, provided others helped pay the cost.

I'm not sure why Florence's children didn't rally together and do this years ago; it would have been much cheaper. I know to begin with they had a rough life, but in later years some of them were well off. I guess she was out of sight and so out of mind, although I know that my great Uncle Syd Palmer and his wife Joan visited the cemetery in the 1980's.

Here are a list of the donators: 

My parents, Jack & Susie Williams

My uncle Harry & aunt Lil Williams

Denise Surowski (Harry & Lil's daughter)

My uncle Bob & aunt Marilyn Williams

Heidi Wallace (Bob & Marilyn's daughter)

Jacqueline Vesterinen (great uncle Syd Palmer's daughter)

My aunt Audrey & Fred Town (John & Alma May Williams daughter)

Robert & Loretta Houben (Florence Palmer's great granddaughter)

It's thrilling what a group of people can accomplish!

Thanks to Jennifer Flasko of Forever Memorials, I arranged everything by email!

First I had to find out if Florence's grave could be found, so I contacted the city of Humboldt to see who was in charge of the cemetery. It turns out the city is. They sent me a form by email for me to sign, so that Jennifer would be able to install the marker. I sent it back by email after signing it and scanning the form. Next everyone very quickly sent me paper cheques, which Robert scanned into his cell phone and deposited to our account. I had already mailed the amount owing to Jennifer, as I was very anxious to have the marker installed before I reached Humboldt at the beginning of August!

I trusted everyone to send in their cheques and they promptly did so. 

Just before I left on our trip to Calgary AB on July 22, I emailed Jennifer one last time.

Unfortunately, Saskatchewan had so much rain this summer, she hadn't been able to install the marker because of 7" of rain! But she promised she would have it done in time, and she did.

On August 1 we traveled from Calgary to Humboldt. That's one long drive!

After checking into our hotel, we hurried to the cemetery before supper.

I was so anxious to see it!

(In the photo above, I'm talking with my Dad, Jack Williams, and describing his grandmother's grave to him.)

Alas. I didn't even know where it was.

My heart fell. I told Robert to start at the back, and I'd start looking at the front.

Before long the awful brutes of mosquitoes had found me. Ack! I tried looking for a new marker, but was being eaten alive. I waved to Robert, and he came running as he thought I'd found it.

He didn't say a word, but I told him we'd have to come back in the morning as I was being bitten too much. He said "Well, I didn't find Nellie's grave, but I did spot a new one that said Florence May Palmer." 

I just stared at him, and then I shrieked. 

For some reason he thought I was looking for Nellie Williams grave. (buried in Spalding)

So the whole point of this story is this:

When your spouse helps you on a long trip like this, please make sure you understand the full NAME of the person you are seeking, and much time will be saved!

Anyhow, all's well that ends well.

Florence Palmer's grave marker is in a plot of un-marked graves, so Jennifer made sure her stone was elevated so the grass mower wouldn't run over it. 

This was a very thrilling moment for me.

By Loretta (Williams) Houben

Visiting your ancestors in cemeteries.

There are a few graves I haven't visited yet, and hope to remedy it soon.

One is the un-marked grave of my great grandmother, FLORENCE MAY (BELLAMY) PALMER.

She is buried in Humboldt, Saskatchewan, many miles from here.

Recently I had asked my Williams/Palmer Facebook group members if they would consider making a money contribution towards getting a grave marker installed on Florence's grave.

Many agreed, and so they sent me generous cheques for $50 each and I quickly had enough to send to  Forever Memorials in St. Front, SK, who have made a monument and will be installing it later in July. I think it's thrilling that Florence will have a name and date at last!

The marker will be black granite and state:

"PALMER

FLORENCE MAY

Nov 20, 1883 - Jun 20, 1931

ALWAYS IN OUR HEARTS"

When I visit her grave I will put the vase and roses on it, along with her framed photo, and take many pictures. She is the only one of our family in Humboldt Cemetery.

Another grave I haven't yet seen is in Bigstone Cemetery in Spalding SK.

That belongs to my paternal grandpa's first wife, ELLEN (EGERTON) WILLIAMS, known as Nellie. She was buried with many other people with one large grave stone.

Her name is "Mrs. John Williams" with the date 1926 on the grave.

I blogged about discovering her grave online, HERE. I've learned so much more about here since that time! I'd love to write a book about her and her adventures in Canada.

Although it's sad she died, I'm so glad she did, as I wouldn't be here if she had lived.

Just think about it....

By Loretta (Williams) Houben