Families with loved ones buried at Joshua Creek Cemetery in Arcadia are asking hard questions after discovering that memorial items on graves were removed without any advance notice. Alondra Meza’s family lost custom crosses, including one made in Mexico and a handcrafted wooden cross that served as a stand-in for a headstone the family couldn’t afford. Beverly Hand says two custom white benches decorated with hearts were taken from her mother’s grave. Her mother loved hearts, and those benches were made specifically for her.
The cemetery’s website does state that excessive decorations and flowers in poor condition must be removed by the owner. But families say they received no call, no letter, and no warning that a cleanup was coming. With one relative’s birthday approaching this Sunday, families are now unsure whether they’re even allowed to bring flowers to the grave.
A board member is expected to respond and explain why no notice was given. This story matters to anyone who has ever left a keepsake, a flower, or a handmade tribute at a loved one’s resting place here on the Suncoast. What do you think? Should cemeteries be required to notify families before removing memorial items? Let us know in the comments.
