Green Lawn Cemetery — Attraction in Franklin Township

Nothing like reading an early morning text from my sweet cousin, who was in tears. She went to Greenlawn Cemetery ( Columbus, OH), early this morning . She was trying to put some fresh flowers out on all the family graves. These pictures represent what she witnessed. She got it cleaned up the best that she could before her trimmer died.

Before I received her message we were planning to go early this morning to decorate and clean up the monuments. We used weed eater, sprayed for weeds and cleaned the headstone… as best we could.I am so happy I didn’t walk into what my cousin witnessed at my parents and the gravesites of my aunt, who is buried adjacent to my parents. We have six additional immediate family members resting in Greenlawn. In addition, we have multiple vacant gravesites, which we will not use. I was in the cemetery on June 5, finding it deplorable at that time. The office was closed and I failed to call on Monday.

I immediately called this morning speaking with a very nice receptionist. I was on a roll… she finally stopped me and told me she understood and would have someone call me. I left a detailed message about our family's graves. I left the names etc. When we got to the cemetery, we found someone mowing our parents section. While we were attending to the graves of my grandparents and another aunt and even though we were in another section, the person mowing, found us and came to speak with us. The mower was the new manger, Kevin. He admitted he received my call. Kevin, was the only person working on Saturday. I was surprised by the limited staff on the Saturday before Father’s Day. Usually, most cemeteries are sprucing up for those who will be visiting for Father’s Day. I have literally grown up in that cemetery…. I have been in that cemetery nearly monthly, since 1954. I have never witnessed it being in such deplorable conditions. The new manager, Kevin,started in mid May. He advised that he normally has two people and trying to hire more. He hired a company to do the back 100 acres. They had one or two people show up on Friday. The weed eating needs completed on the area that was contracted. To his credit, he had the wherewithal to come speak to me. I left no doubt, in the message that I left ,that I was very unhappy… to say the least! We went to look at the other parts of the cemetery .... omg bad. He said he can't get people to work. I told him he would be hearing from our family ..as three of us have been there today. It's a very large cemetery with Thousands of headstones to weed around. I told him that I understand, but we were guaranteed perpetual care when the lots were purchased... and we are not getting that. We went on and on...but, told him we expect and will only accept nothing less. Not sure what he can do but he knows we are paying attention. The only reason this is a one star is because the manger sought me out to...

I went for my first visit of the spring to see my dads headstone, while I was there I noticed that it wasn’t level. The left side was higher and the right side was still properly in the ground. I also noticed on that same left side a significant chip. The grass had just been mowed and I knew that’s exactly where the chip came from. The head stone is only 5 years old and still in great condition. But for the past five years I’ve seen peoples headstone decoration be absolute destroyed as they run over headstones, weed whack recklessly with no regard to people’s loved ones. Given the fact the headstone cost about $1000 I decided to contact the office to further discuss. It was Saturday when I went to visit and offices had just closed so I attempted to leave a voicemail but the mailbox was full. I called during the week and during office hours and was helped by a very nasty female who made me feel like I was inconveniencing her. She took my information said someone would get out to look and call me back. Then I speak to a man name John he assures me he would get right out to look and call me right back... can you guess? I got no call. I called this morning to follow up and was forwarded to John who was “just on his way to look” AGAIN and he’d call me right back. No call. I call about 4:15 and get no answer, I then use my brothers phone which is a different number (they have caller ID) and wouldn’t you know John answers on the second ring.. and then it was “you were probably on my list of people to call” He then tells me to remind him what I’m calling for and then states he went out looked level to him and when I suggested he may not have fully inspected it he began talking over me, raising his voice, practically telling me I was crazy and insinuated I was just trying to make false allegations. I was so disrespected that I disrespectfully put him in his place and informed him that I would definitely like to speak to the manager on Monday ... his tone quickly changed and he was all apologies. I told him I expected a call from management on Monday and I ended the call. I am currently sharing the situation with an attorney in the case that management fails to contact me and help determine a solution. This whole situation is disheartening giving how wonderful they were when making arrangements but unfortunately I’m realizing it’s just an act to make money. They only show compassion and understanding when your loved one needs buried but lack these qualities once the job is done and...

My children and I have been seeing historical locations around Ohio. Today we went to greenlawn cemetery. I called prior to going to make sure it was ok that we go and was given permission by a staff member on the phone. We arrived to the cemetery to see workers carrying weed whackers... carelessly swinging them. We observed as they knocked over flowers, and other decorations. The 2 most disturbing behaviors we saw, was the complete disrespect for the veterans graves. The American flags were being weeded whacked and destroyed. My kids got a trash bag out and began picking up the garbage left around. My kids picked up and stood up many flags. Several flags were destroyed and some were even in the trash containers sitting by the side of the road ways. We removed these flags that were destroyed and left laying around. They will be getting a proper disposal. Trees had fallen on top of many other grave sites. It was a very disappointing sight. The next thing that we saw, was head stones had been knocked around or completely rolled over. Looked to be from lawn mowing. There were tracks next to the head stones. We tried to stand the head stone back up, but it was too heavy to even budge. Im really sad that this is some people's final resting place. The veterans head stones are in terrible shape. I understand that some families are no longer around to care for the sites... but my kids and I were interested in volunteering to come scrub the dirt off of the head stones. I hope that people start caring more for the history this place...