Cemetery keepers provide headstone decoration

Moniteau County Historical Society for the fourth year offers saddles or bushes to decorate loved one's graves for Memorial Day.
Moniteau County Historical Society for the fourth year offers saddles or bushes to decorate loved one's graves for Memorial Day.

A loved one's grave in Moniteau County may receive a touch of remembrance, even if family members cannot make it out to the cemetery to do the decorating.

For the fourth year, the Moniteau County Historical Society is selling bouquet saddles in advance of the Memorial Day weekend.

What has become a popular sale, began as a gesture to out-of-town family members wanting to decorate the grave of a loved one in Moniteau County, said committee chairman Gloria Knipp.

"Because we keep the cemetery records here at the historical society, we know where they are," she said. "It was a natural fit."

For those out-of-town requests, they follow up by sending a photo of the decorated headstone by e-mail.

The first sale in 2015 was by pre-order, since the society members did not know the interest.

This spring, Knipp ordered 100.

She uses a company out of Springfield, which provides sturdy two-foot wide saddles covered in realistic-looking flowers.

One-third were sold the first week they were available, to those who want the best selection, Knipp said.

The society's meeting room was filled with patriotic colors along one wall and a variety of primary, pastels and even fluorescent colors on the other.

For those whose loved one doesn't have a headstone, they also have bushes for vases.

The saddles are $40 and bushes are $3-10. They are available during the genealogy library and museum hours - 1-5 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 1-3 p.m. May 6.

Call 573-796-3563 for more information.