Fall 2005 - Hixon Family Reunion

A Newsletter From Oak Grove Cemetery
Fall
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2005
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Vol. 4
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No. 2
Message from Val Reinke
Executive Director
Hixons visit Oak Grove
Val Reinke
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Burial Services
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Chapel
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Grave Sites
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Monuments
and Markers
Oak Grove Cemetery exists to provide
a beautiful and serene final resting place.
We will provide comprehensive services
for clients in an environment of trust,
compassion and respect.The cemetery
recognizes its importance as a historical
resource, and is committed to enhancing
public knowledge of that history.
We certainly embraced the last sentence
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Cremation Services
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Urns
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Mausoleum
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of our mission statement in July, when we
hosted 150 members of the Hixon Family
who were in La Crosse celebrating their
reunion.The group toured the family plot
and the Hixon Family monument.We’ll be
celebrating our history again soon with the
Silent City tour set for September 17.
Pre-arrangement
Counseling
Of course,YOU can celebrate the history
in Oak Grove Cemetery - stop in and let
us show you around.
Hixon Family watching an actress portray
Alice Green Hixon.
Historic
In The Cemetery:
Hixon Family Monument
The Hixon family
played an important
role in La Crosse
business and civic affairs
beginning with the arrival of Vermont
lumberman Gideon Hixon (1826-1892) in
1856. Hixon had married Sarah Crosby in
1850 in Maine. She died in 1856 not long
after they arrived in La Crosse.
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Genealogy resources that
can help
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Upcoming events
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Holiday wreath
information and
order form
1407 La Crosse Street
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Gideon married Ellen Pennell, a
schoolteacher, in La Crosse in 1861. She
bore Gideon five sons. In 1909, Ellen
spearheaded a committee to save Grandad
Bluff from a local quarry company. Her
two eldest sons, Frank and Joseph, also
became active in local philanthropic
projects. Frank’s second wife, Alice Green
Hixon (1883-1982), was involved in
La Crosse social and cultural organizations
and was the first president of the La Crosse
League of Women Voters.
La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601
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608-782-6956
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Alice Hixon was very conscientious in
maintaining the family home at 429 North
Seventh Street. In 1962, she donated the
home with all of the furnishings and
numerous personal items to the La Crosse
County Historical Society.The Hixon
House Museum is open to the public and
provides a fascinating insight into the lives
of late 19th century upper class Americans.
For more information, call the historical
society at 782-1980.
In 1913, Frank Hixon (1862-1931)
commissioned sculptor Leonard Cruelle
to create the artistic molded copper
sculpture of a Mother and Children
as a family memorial. Frank, Alice and
three of Frank’s brothers are buried
here. Other Hixon family members
are buried in the Hixon family plot in
Oak Grove Cemetery.
fax: 608-782-6964
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oakgrovecemetery.com
Trust
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Compassion
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Respect
Genealogy:
Resources that can help
Have you ever wanted to research your family tree?
Where would you start? We asked Jonna Peterson,
a member of the La Crosse Area Genealogical
The average person should have few problems accessing
these types of records if they have basic computer knowledge.There are resources to get help if you are a beginner
by visiting your local archive or history room. Libraries are
a great resource for getting help.
Society to give us some tips on how to do it.Watch
for more tips in the next Cornerstones.
Learn more about Genealogy...
What are the most common resources?
Can the “average person” access them?
While internet websites such as www.ancestry.com are
very helpful, you cannot assume that everything you access
there is factual.You still need to verify this information. I
have looked up records online that have different maiden
names or misspellings of names. Birth and death dates may
vary and you really need to find the original document to
verify this data. Sometimes people submit information that
may not necessarily be totally false, but may not be as
accurate as you need for a well-documented search.
Courthouses, I have found, have great resources but you
have to know what you are looking for before you get
there. Especially if you are traveling out of town to go to a
courthouse, the best bet would be to call ahead and find
out what is easily accessible. Make a list of records you
want to look up. For example, if you are looking for birth
certificates, have a list of names and approximate dates of
birth - this helps the research go much faster. Another
important thing to consider is that not all courthouses
have all records.
La Crosse Area Genealogical Society Book:
Dig and Delve
Want to learn more about researching genealogy?
Get a copy of Dig and Delve, the new handbook
by Anita Lee Palmquist from our local
geneaological organization.The cost is $5 plus
$1.75 shipping and handling. Send your check
to LAGS, PO Box 1782, La Crosse,WI 54602.
Or, to save on shipping, you can purchase the
handbook in the Archives Department at
La Crosse Public Library.
Join the LAGS
If you’re interested in joining the La Crosse Area
Genealogical Society, go to their website —
http://www.rootsweb.com/~wilacgs or write to
them P.O. Box 1782, La Crosse,WI 54602-1782.
Another interesting tidbit is that not all courthouse
employees are helpful.While most I have encountered
have been very pleasant and helpful, there have been a few
who were more on the less helpful side.
The La Crosse Area Genealogy
Society visited Oak Grove on
May 24. The group listened to
a presentation on the historic
mausoleum and reviewed
cemetery resources that would
aid in genealogy research.
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Trust
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Compassion
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Respect
Oak Grove Cemetery
Order your holiday wreaths today
Oak Grove Cemetery will once again offer holiday wreaths
for gravesites.These traditional evergreen wreaths are 26
inches in diameter.We will take care of placement, and
either tie the wreath to the monument or attach it to a
stand on the lot.
Please take a moment to review the options listed below
and fill out the form to let us know what you’d like. If you
have any questions, please give us a call, (608) 782-6956,
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Wreath orders received by November 9 will be placed on
the site for you by December 2.We will remove wreaths
on or after April 1, 2006. Mastercard and VISA accepted.
Call us today.
Holly berry
Package
Details
Price
W/tax
Traditional
Red plastic bow, 2 pinecones
$20.50
$21.63
Remembrance
Red velvet bow, 2 pinecones
$26.00
$27.43
Holly berry
Red velvet bow, 2 pinecones,
3 groupings of red glass berries
$34.50
$36.40
Red, white and blue velvet bow,
2 pinecones, 2 flags
$35.50
$37.45
Red or burgundy velvet bow
w/metallic backing, 2 pinecones,
3 groupings of decorations
$46.00
$48.53
Limited to decorations on hand.
Please call the superintendent,
Adam Casper, for pricing.
Call for price
Veteran’s
Deluxe
Customized
Trust
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Compassiion
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Respect
Oak Grove Cemetery
Call for price
608-782-6956
Note: Wreath orders received after November 9 are not guaranteed
placement or fulfillment before the holidays.
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Trust
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Compassion
◆
Respect
Oak Grove Cemetery
Order Form:
Purchaser’s Information:
Name: __________________________________________________________________________________
Address: _______________________________________________________________________________
Phone Number: ____________________________________________________________________________
Email Address: ___________________________________________________________________________
Loved one’s information for wreath placement:
Name: __________________________________________________________________________________
Wreath Package: __________________________________________________________________________
Price w/ tax: _____________________________________________________________________________
Name: __________________________________________________________________________________
Wreath Package: __________________________________________________________________________
Price w/ tax: _____________________________________________________________________________
Name: __________________________________________________________________________________
Wreath Package: __________________________________________________________________________
Price w/ tax: _____________________________________________________________________________
Name: __________________________________________________________________________________
Wreath Package: __________________________________________________________________________
Price w/ tax: _____________________________________________________________________________
Order Total: _______________________________________________________
❑ Check enclosed
❑ Please charge my gift to:
❑ Mastercard ❑ VISA
Card #: _________________________________ Exp. Date: _____/_____
Name of Cardholder___________________________________________
Signature: ___________________________________________________
Please enclose this order form with your payment made payable to:
Oak Grove Cemetery Association
1407 La Crosse St.
La Crosse,WI 54601
Note: Orders must be received by November 9 for holiday
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Trust
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Compassion
◆
Respect
Oak Grove Cemetery
Memorial Day 2005
As always, this year’s annual Memorial Day parade ended
at Oak Grove Cemetery.Val Reinke welcomed the participants and invited them to take the self-guided walking
tour. Many people stayed for a special service in the
G.A.R.Veteran’s Section. Oak Grove always has extended
office hours throughout Memorial Day weekend, and
this year we assisted a number of people - helping to
locate gravesites of loved ones and answering questions
regarding rules, regulations, services and prices for the
cemetery. Stop by and see us next year.
Need to have a monument cleaned or raised?
The grounds crew at Oak Grove Cemetery is available for
the following work requests:
Raising markers
Single $20
Double $30
Monument (up to 5 ft.) $100
Cleaning markers
Single $20
Double $30
Monument (up to 5 ft.) $100
If your monument is oversized, please call us for a quote.
Call (608) 782-6956 or stop in today.
If your monument is oversized, please call us for a quote.
Lot Owners Meeting Recap
The Oak Grove lot owners had their annual meeting on
April 27.Val Reinke provided a review of the association’s
mission, introduced the trustees, summarized the various
trust accounts and 2004 financial statements, highlighted
cemetery services, and announced special events
scheduled for 2005.Val also described the new Wall
of Honor for Veterans, which was dedicated on Veteran’s
Day, Novenber 11, 2004.The 2006 meeting date will
be announced in Spring, 2006.
✁
Please Send Me:
❒
❒
General information about Oak Grove Cemetery
Oak Grove Planning Guide
❒
A 2005 price list for Oak Grove Cemetery
❒ Wall of Honor Information
❒
Rules & Regulations
Your name: _________________________________________________________
Your address: _________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip: _________________________________________________________
e-mail: _____________________________________________________________
❒
Please have someone at Oak Grove Cemetery call me regarding pre-arrangement counseling
or other questions related to the cemetery.
Telephone number: __________________________________________________
Send to: Oak Grove Cemetery, 1407 La Crosse Street, La Crosse,Wisconsin 54601
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Trust
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Compassion
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Respect
Oak Grove Cemetery
News Briefs
Mausoleum renovations continue
Oak Grove’s historic mausoleum was built in 1912 and
dedicated in 1913. Over time the mausoleum has needed
repair - and it’s not an inexpensive proposition. In 2001, the
roof was repaired, costing $27,180. A recent ceiling project
cost close to $40,000. If you’ve been inside our historic
mausoleum over the last few years, you would have noticed
a large piece of marble missing from the trim on the south
wall of chapel area.This was just replaced by Elegant Stone
Products, LLC, at a cost of $813.65. Is it worth it? We think
so - this historic building is spectacular and we’d love to
show it to you.The next time you’re in the cemetery, stop
by our office and ask us to open it for you.
A Light to Remember is December 11
The holiday season can be difficult for people who are
grieving the loss of a loved one. Although the death may
have occurred years ago, the rituals of the holiday season
may make the feelings more acute. Every year, Oak Grove
Cemetery invites people to celebrate the life of a departed
loved one with a unique holiday gathering called “A Light
to Remember.” At the 2004 event, 65 people came to make
holiday ornaments for their loved one, listened to a service
that shared messages of holiday hope, and enjoyed fellowship,
hot cider and holiday cookies around the tree of
remembrance after the service.This year’s event will be
December 11, with services at 3:30 and 5:30.
Sixty new sites
Good news, we just opened 60 new lots in Section 51A.
This area provides a great option for families who would
like to memorialize with an upright monument. This is a
very nice part of the cemetery with mature trees. Call us
for details.
Mark your calendar:
◆ Silent City Tour, Saturday, September 17
Changes to the Oak Grove Board
Welcome to Paul Robinson and Al Trapp, Oak Grove’s
newest Board Members. Paul is the son of the late long-time
board member Louis Robinson and is the Director of
Market Development for Schweser Study Program. Al is the
Vice President of the Foundation at UW-La Crosse.The
board also wishes to extend their thanks to Erwin Albrecht,
who has resigned after 36 years of dedicated service.
Thank yous
Oak Grove extends our heartiest thanks to:
◆ Ron Frey for donating 10 maple trees to the cemetery.
◆ North Presbyterian Church for donating a piano to
our chapel.
◆ The women’s group from the Church of Jesus Christ
Latter Day Saints for visiting us in June and taking a tour
of the cemetery with Glenda Lee.We love to give tours!
If your group is interested, please contact us.
◆ Our grounds crew for keeping 3,000 flower vases alive
during weeks of 90 degree weather.
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Pre-planning Seminar,Wednesday, October 12,
10 a.m. - noon at the La Crosse Public Library,
featuring Jeff Rood, Mutual of Omaha; Kevin Roop,
Hale Skemp, Hanson, Skemp & Sleik Law Office; and
Glenda Lee, Oak Grove,
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A Light to Remember, Sunday, December 11, services
at 3:30 and 5:30
Consider a gift to Oak Grove
When you're making decisions about which organizations
to donate money to, please consider us. Oak Grove
Cemetery Association is a 501(c)(13), which means we are
a not-for-profit cemetery. As such, we are always looking
for donations and charitable gifts to help offset the costs
of expensive improvements and maintenance of our
80 acres. Any donation that you make to the cemetery is
tax-deductible. To learn more about how you can give,
or what we will use funds for, please contact us.
Oak Grove Cemetery’s Newsletter,
CornerStones...
and other valuable information
is available online at
w w w. o a k g r o v e c e m e t e r y. c o m
“Holiday Wreath Info enclosed,
this is your only mailing”
1407 La Crosse Street
La Crosse,WI 54601
La Crosse,WI
Permit No. 149
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