Well this happened to me yesterday, Friday, February 23, 2007. For years I have wanted to find my grandfather’s grave, on my father’s side of the family. Several years ago I had been there with dad’s sister and her husband, but I couldn’t remember how to get there, but knew the general location.

The temporary position I am working at right now is located in Petersburg, Indiana, about forty miles northeast of my home. One of the guys I met lives near Monroe City, Indiana, and that is where my grandfather is buried. So on Friday one of the other guys left this man a note that I wanted to see him and I got the directions from him and it was only twelve miles to the cemetery from where I was working. After getting off work at 3pm the weather was as good as it was going to get for awhile and I headed off to Monroe City.

I got to the turn off without any problem and thank goodness the county road was paved and not gravel – just had my car washed two days before! The directions said to take a left at the first road, but I failed to ask how far I would travel before I arrived at this road.

Finally I saw this gravel road and it looked well kept and I just wondered if this was the right place to turn or did this go up to the homes I could see? Well there was only one way to find out and sure enough it went as far as the last house where I turned around and headed back to my original road.

After traveling some distance I saw a nice paved road, Coomers Road, to the left so I turned. I kept looking and looking and looking, but didn’t see a church or cemetery. Finally I came to the end of the road and I was back to what I thought to be the same highway I had turned off. I thought well I’m going to back track and find someone to ask how I get to where I need to be and I’m not turning on this highway, because I’m not that sure which way to go. (as you have probably found out I’m not much of a navigator and you are right!)

Just about this time I looked up and here was a huge sign that stated: Walnut Grove Church and Cemetery – back the way I had came, so I’m assuming I passed it up. I didn’t drive so fast going back, but still didn’t find any church or cemetery.

At the end of Coomers Road, where I had originally turn onto it, I saw this small blue sign pointing the way I should have continued before turning onto Coomers Road. Up the road just a short distance was the church. Now where I was suppose to have turned left still has me baffled and I will ask the guy on Monday.

I looked around the cemetery and thought am I going to find his gravesite or not and I decided to walk up and down the rows and look at all the stones. Right away I knew that it wouldn’t be a newer stone nor would it be a really old stone. Yes I did remember to take a piece of paper and pen with me to write down the dates on his stone.

It didn’t really take all that long and I was so overjoyed when I found grandpa’s stone. Now I know that my dad’s mother had passed away before he and mom were married and then later there was a very nice lady named Maude at grandpa’s, but I never knew if they were married or not. Apparently they were as Maude was next to Grandpa and they shared the same stone.

I just stood there for several minutes and I talked to Grandpa and Maude and told them how glad I was to finally know where they were laid to rest. I remembered how when we would go to Grandpa’s for a meal Maude would bless the food and as she did she would take a bite out of each dish and say a blessing. I thought that was so neat and has stood out in my mind for all these years.

What I wasn’t prepared for was when I did some figuring and found out I was fifteen years old and not sixteen when Grandpa passed away and that was fifty years ago. Wow how the time has flown. I said my goodbyes and told them that I would be back soon and I will.

After that I decided to take the drive through Vincennes, Indiana, where I use to live, and travel the same road we use to take to Grandpa’s. I remembered there was a very steep hill with a church on top of the hill and yes I would fell like I was losing my stomach every time we went up and down that hill. There was also a cemetery with the church, but when I approached the hill I saw that the church was gone and it was now all cemetery. I continued my journey right into Vincennes and stopped to pay my respects to my family – another cemetery. No it wasn’t a depressing day it was a wonderful fun filled experience. I can’t quite explain it, but it is like life is coming together.

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