Remembering Those Forgotten in our Community

            When someone passes away in Island County without family to claim them, the Island County Coroner steps in to take care of those individuals. For years, the cremated remains of the deceased have been brought to Maple Leaf Cemetery where they are placed in an unmarked grave. 

            Currently in this grave there are 108 individuals from all walks of life who range in age from stillborn to 90 years old.  Their date of passing ranges from the early 1960’s to today. They are placed in this grave with no services or remembrance of any kind. Everyone means something to someone and for these individuals to not even have their names on a grave marker is a loss to us all.  They are a part of our community.

            Seeing the need to remember, the four Rotary Clubs of Whidbey Island: The Rotary Club of Oak Harbor, The Rotary Club of North Whidbey Island Sunrise, The Rotary Club of South Whidbey, and The Rotary Club of Whidbey Westside, have come together to create a monument for those that have been forgotten. This monument will include the names of those who are buried there with space provided for those without family yet to come.

            At 11am on Saturday, October 5, 2019 at Maple Leaf Cemetery there will be an unveiling of the monument as well as a service to remember those in the unmarked grave. We invite all those in Island County to attend and pay tribute to those that we have lost.