Cemetery
Tyrone Township has two cemeteries:
Idlewild Cemetery
18 Mile Road between Tyrone Avenue & Barber Creek Avenue.
Chubbuck (Pinewood) Cemetery
Corner of 21 Mile Road and Peach Ridge Ave.
Burial site questions call Sexton: Elsie Harrison at 616-675-4264 or Doug Harrison.
Graves are available for residents and people connected with Tyrone Township for $100 each.
Sextons' History
The "Harrisons" have been active workers in these two cemeteries for many years. The date Dea Harrison
began his role as sexton of Chubbuck Cemetery is unknown, but Charles Harrison, his son, began helping his
dad dig graves when he was so little his dad had to lift him up out of the grave when finished (must have been in
the late 1940s). When Dea died in 1964, Charles Harrison became sexton of both cemeteries until his death in 2000.
Douglas Harrison, son of Charles, has been sexton since that time along with the help of his son Ryan.
Charles and Elsie Harrison started mowing and caretaking in 1973. They took the job,
at first, for their son David who wanted to earn some money for school expenses. "We started out helping him and
took pride in seeing how nice the Cemetery looked, enjoyed working together, and have continued ever since."
Elsie keeps all the records, location of graves, maps, sells grave sites, often helps people
find loved ones' graves, and helps those searching geneologies. Since the early 1960s a large record book of where
everyone is buried has been kept. Before this time there were only records of the index of who owned lots. In order to get
this book updated, Elaine Shirey (at that time she was clerk), and Charlie and Elsie Harrison took this book and
walked both cemeteries recording all the names and dates of the tombstones, which added much to our records.
Unfortunately where there were no tombstones, there are no complete records of those graves.
Thankfully, families have been able to give us information for these records
The good news is that the Township has a copy of this same record book
and at least once a year we meet to catch up all the records so that our Township has duplicate
cemetery records. This is a great value in case of fire and also provides a secondary resource for all of this valuable information.
Cemetery Rules
- One monument can be located at head of gravesite
- Burial will not be made during winter months if there is measurable snow
- No fences of any kind shall be placed on or near gravesite
- Shrubs, dwarf trees or vegetation can be placed in-line with headstone after sexton approval
- No loose stones shall be placed around marker or flowers
- No mounds
- No glass containers
Click here to view the full cemetery ordinance. |
