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Memorial Day at Pioneer Cemetery was memorable

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Contributed by: Jacky Walker on 6/3/2007

Memorial Day 2007 at the old Pioneer Memorial Cemetery in Sylmar was indeed a memorable occasion again this year.

Special guest of honor was Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon, who broke new ground at the Valley's second oldest cemetery by taking the lead in two historic moments.

To start with, Alarcon placed the first engraved brick in the cemetery's newly completed front entrance, appropriately inscribed on this national day of remembrance with the words "Freedom Isn't Free."

The new entrance will eventually contain red bricks engraved with the names of the 600-plus people buried at the cemetery whose graves are unmarked due to long term vandalism. The engravings will include six veterans of the Civil War, who were given a special tribute during the program.

Then, in a touching personal moment, Alarcon unveiled a gift to the cemetery -- a beautiful cascading fountain to memorialize the 289 infants buried in unmarked graves at the old cemetery. Alarcon dedicated "Richie's Fountain" in memory of his young son, Richie, who was tragically killed at age three by a drunk driver in 1987. Following the dedication, "Over the Rainbow" was played for the teary-eyed crowd of approximately 300.

The Memorial Day event began with a welcome message by Midge Gisel, President of the San Fernando Valley Historical Society, the official caretaker and guardian of the 133-year-old cemetery. A goose-bump-inducing rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner" was sung by local college student Stephanie Valencia. Stephanie also received a standing ovation for her singing of "God Bless America" following the U.S. flag-raising and 21-gun salute to the dead by the All Veteran's Burial Squad.

The World War I-inspired poem "In Flanders Fields" was read by Julie Stranges, Regent of the Chatsworth Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and volunteer at the Veterans Administration, Sepulveda. Julie's father was a World War II veteran, and her brother is a veteran of Vietnam.

The history and meaning of Memorial Day was explained by Wally Kendig, member of the historical society's Pioneer Cemetery committee, and an update on the cemetery was presented by Jacky Walker, the committee's co-chair.

In explaining the purpose of the new entrance project, partially financed by a matching funds grant of $10,000 from the City of Los Angeles' Office of Community Beautification, Walker noted: "We want to restore some dignity to those buried citizens in unmarked graves by having community members sponsor a brick engraved with the deceased's name. We have no records showing where graves are located, so this project is the next best thing -- at least the buried will have identity and respect, serenity and peace -- in what we hope will be a lasting memorial to them."

Pioneer Cemetery is located at Foothill Blvd. and Bledsoe (west of Polk St.) in Sylmar. Brick order forms are available on the Society's website www.sfvhs.com. For additional information, please call (818) 365-5860 or (818) 365-7810.

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