Temple Cemetery Maintenance

Jerry Fetters requested information about the status of care of Temple Cemetery.

The Temple Cemetery Association was formed in 1944 by Kenneth Beasley, Dan McCoy and Alton Moore for the purpose of improving the care and assuring future care of the cemetery.

Current Association Directors are Jack Jackson (President), Buddy Hooper, Dian Smith (Secy-Treas), Chris Lipscomb and Lori Hedges. George Kindred, President for several years now serves as manager of the Veterans Memorial which was promoted by Clyde McClenny and erected in 1998 to highlight veterans buried in the cemetery. No charge for adding names to the memorial.

A caretaker is employed to maintain the cemetery at a monthly salary of $1200. The past year total expense was $15,535. Total income for the year was $18,883. The association has $222,000 maintenance fund in certificates of deposits ($200,000 of this was recently donated by the estate of Audrey Wilkinson). Plus $3506 in a checking account and $22,951 in interest bearing HIFI account. The association also has $117,400 perpetual care fund in certificates of deposit (donor restrictions allow that only the interest may be spent). Declining interest rates and a recent decline in contributions will necessitate taking from the maintenance fund principal.

Jack Jackson says that new chat was recently added to the streets and plans are to install street signs. The cemetery is well groomed. Current funds may allow for several years of continued high care. However contributions are needed to guarantee perpetual care.
--Harold Powell