Warsaw Mayor Jeff Grose, right, swears in Don Guthrie to the Oakwood Cemetery Board of Regents Thursday. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union.

By Jackie Gorski
Times-Union

WARSAW — Work being done at Oakwood Cemetery and the historical walk next week were two of the topics of discussion during the Board of Regents meeting Thursday, Sept. 5.

Sexton Hal Heagy said he received a power washer built by E.F. Rhoades & Sons, Pierceton, which he had previously ordered. He said the power washer is a dual-axle power washer and will hold 600 gallons. It’s portable for the cemetery, as well as other departments if they so need it. Heagy had some staff members power washing all the sidewalks by the Warsaw Police Department Thursday.

He also said work on the walkway in Cremation Garden #3 leading to the Garden of Angels will start soon. The sidewalk is shifting.

More trees will be ordered.

Cemetery staff planted 17 trees by WPD in August. Heagy said Chief Scott Whitaker would like some more trees, so the cemetery is going to order more for the WPD, as well as to fill in some spots at the cemetery.

The cemetery is getting ready for fall cleanup and Heagy said staff will go through equipment and get them ready and serviced.

Board President Ken Locke asked when the cemetery wanted to start giving out vouchers for its wood-giveaway for the year. People who need wood to heat their homes can get vouchers from The Salvation Army to get wood from the cemetery. Heagy said the vouchers could probably start being given out next month, but he will let Locke know.

After talking about the wood giveaway program, Locke brought up A Walk Through Our Past from 10 a.m. to noon and 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Sept. 14.

Heagy said it’s about a 20-minute walk and there will be an actor at every stop that will portray one of 12 people.

There will be guides to take people on the tour. Golf carts are available for people who need help getting through the walk.

If it rains, the walk will be set up in the chapel.

Free-will donations will be accepted and given to the Kosciusko County Historical Society.

Heagy said if the walk goes well, the cemetery may do the walk every two years.

In other business, Warsaw Mayor Jeff Grose swore in Don Guthrie onto the board. Guthrie will replace Dave Baumgartner, who was recognized for his service to the board. Baumgartner was sworn in to the board in May 2022 by Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer, replacing Art Brown. Baumgartner also previously served on the board in 2016.

Grose said the reason Baumgartner is stepping down is because Grose asked Baumgartner to serve on the Plan Commission a couple months ago, which he agreed to.

Baumgartner said he wanted to thank the cemetery staff and the board. He said Oakwood had to be one of the best cemeteries in the Midwest, maybe the world. He said it was an honor to work with them.