madder then a wet hen....

[Grumpy's Gal]

But it doesn't make sense that the cemetary would get rid of the flowers, especially right before Memorial Day Weekend?

many cemetaries have a rule about exactly WHEN flowers can be there. They are strict and instruct the grounds crew to dispose of any that are there outside of the allowable time frame. Sad but true.

 

[Katie Dawn]

So sorry this happened to you... unfortunately it has happened to our family as well. A year or two after my Dad passed away the silk flowers were stolen 2-3 times in a row. We talked to the cemetery who agreed they were likely being stolen. (The cemetery doesn't remove flowers, and we had the cemetery's "flower tag" on each arrangement so that it could be returned to the proper place if the wind ever knocked it out of its vase) We decided she needed to tone down the arrangements (she had been making ones that were fairly elaborate and might be more likely to get noticed) and it immediately stopped happening.

You have to be a pretty disgusting person to do this. Who drives through a cemetery and thinks, "Hey, that flower bouquet will look great in the kitchen! Stop for a second and let me grab it from this grave here."

 

[JerseyJanice]

Looks like we're an angry crowd on the CB tonight.

I'd be really mad too. Stealing flowers off somebody's grave has to be one of the cheapest and dirtiest moves a person can do.

Sorry that this happened to you, Pumba!

 

[FireDancer]

But it doesn't make sense that the cemetary would get rid of the flowers, especially right before Memorial Day Weekend?

Actually quite the opposite. I worked in the funeral industry for a while and many cleared everything away just before Memorial Day so everything that was placed there was fresh and new and the memorials for the veterans stood out.

The cemeteries around here always post well in advance when they are going to purge the grounds.

If someone did in fact steal flowers from a grave that is pretty low.

 

[cm8]

OP

 

[Disneyadore]

This is a common problem around the globe.

As I child I grew up with one special grave. It was a young soldier that died in combat in WW 2. His helmet was on his grave for ages. You could see were the shrapnel made a hole and killed him.

Last year it was stolen.

The family of a one year old child that drowned in their swimming pool stopped putting toys and little memory things on this little grave. The things just got stolen.

 

[handinpocket]

We have a private family cemetary and have stuff stolen constantly. There are really low down rotten people in this world.

 

[ctinct]

Potted pansies were stolen from my mom's grave. The cemetary caretakers said that unfortunately, it is pretty common, especially in the spring when people want to plant their gardens. I suppose if we put cut flowers out, the'd be less likely to be stolen since they can't be replanted, but otoh they wouldn't look nice for nearly as long.

 

[kellyg403]

My dd is buried in a military cemetary, they have certain rules. I do know that before bigger holidays, such as memorial day, they do a lot of mowing and cleaning up so that they can put up the flags etc.

I remember in the first year my dd was buried there I would go out there every Monday and put flowers out. I would go out wed and they would be gone. I was SOOO sure someone was stealing her flowers and I was soo mad. Turns out the deer were eating the flowers and the maintenance team came along and threw away the stems. I laughed at myself over that one. I could only imagine how the poor lady at the office felt. I was standing in front of her in tears explaining that SOMEONE was stealing flowers and do they have camera's. That poor woman had to explain the deer thing to me as I stood there crying! Later I realized what an idiot I was!

So, it 'could' be a deer issue! If someone is stealing them...karma. You can't get away from it!

Kelly

 

[powellrj]

I have read this is a HUGE problem. I remember reading that some families have gone as far as putting up cameras to catch the thieves and were surprised to see who the culprits were. If I remember right, I think at one point it was a nurse from a local hospital who was stealing them.

 

[kaytieeldr]

many cemetaries have a rule about exactly WHEN flowers can be there. They are strict and instruct the grounds crew to dispose of any that are there outside of the allowable time frame. Sad but true.

Sad but true, true - but it doesn't sound like this is the case where the OP's parents are buried. It appears they let you bring whatever you want, whenever you want, and that THEY don't disturb it.

My brother's buried in a memorial park where they are very proactive in letting you know what is allowed at certain holidays - their arrangements only - and the specific dates, and that if you don't want the arrangement discarded, the date by which you need to retrieve it.

pumba - that stinks! Maybe, unfortunately, resort to the tracking device next time?

 

[tonilea]

Sadly, theft of nice artificial flower arrangements is happening quite frequently around here. People "collect" them at the cemetary and then sell them roadside.