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See what the cemetery looked like before the work began.
Jay Mead, left, and Kevin Schultz of McCall Monuments use a hoist to refit a headstone to a grave marker in the New Hartford Oakhill Cemetery Tuesday, June 24, 2008. The tornadoes earlier this year knocked many headstones, some weighing as much as 1,800 pounds, off their foundations. New Hartford, Iowa. (MORGAN HAWTHORNE/ Courier Staff Photographer)
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Volunteer crews repair tombstones at New Hartford cemetery
By JOSH NELSON, Courier Staff Writer
NEW HARTFORD --- Another type of memorial day arrived this week for many New Hartford residents affected by a disastrous few weeks.
The area received a major blow May 25 when one of the strongest tornadoes to ever hit the state clipped the community's northern edge. Two weeks later, severe flooding claimed much of the rest of the town.
Recovery efforts picked up recently when monument companies from across the state moved in to repair damage at the Oak Hill Cemetery north of town. The cemetery took a direct hit from the F5 tornado.
"This is exciting for us to get something back like it was before the tornado," said Meinard Koop, of rural New Hartford.
Even if it's only one of the things, he added.
The storm ripped about 460 tombstones --- some weighing up to 2,000 pounds --- from their bases, tossing them on the grass like handful of pebbles. Part of the task was just trying to figure out where the markers were originally. Volunteers walked up and down the rows of stones with maps in hand and sorted out what belonged where.
Clyde Luck, another volunteer, said cemetery records survived the flooding, which helped crews decipher the cemetery's layout. For the most part, matching the names to the map was fairly easy, he said.
"We haven't lost any so far," Luck said. "That's a good thing."
One matching set belonged to the Reid family. Patriarch Fred Reid's stone was close by the large marker bearing the family's surname. Mother Rosa's marker was eight rows away.
"Bring Rosa home," said Tom Ambrose, a member of the New Hartford Fire Department.
Ambrose plugged away, laughing and joking. Within eyesight of the cemetery stood a solitary flag and a pile of rubble that was his home. The tornado claimed that, too.
The effort to restore the cemetery originated with two people --- Gordy Ballhagen, a councilman in New Hartford, and Lance Banwart of Black Hawk Memorial. Ballhagen contacted Banwart looking for information on how to fix the stones. Banwart then spread word through the Monument Builders of Iowa and solicited help.
"When you got something big to do in your area, what do you do? Call your friends," Banwart said.
Ballhagen said he was thankful the crews came out and helped to repair the damage. After the tornado struck, few stones remained standing.
But it could have been worse. The twister hit on the Sunday afternoon of Memorial Day weekend, when many people were laying flowers at gravestones, Ballhagen said.
Crews travelled from Denison, DeWitt and Nevada to help with repairs. Banwart said this is the first time he's seen damage on such a wide scale. Most repair jobs are smaller, usually caused by vandals or falling limbs.
Steve Brown of Nevada Monument Restoration said about 10 years ago he worked on a job fixing about 110 stones. That work was at a cemetery in Marshalltown damaged by vandals.
"We've never seen the wind just carry monuments a few yards that weigh a couple tons," Brown said.
Having the right equipment helps speed the repair process. Brown's three-member crew came in a truck equipped with a hydraulic crane that can lift the bulky stones into position before the workers secure the monument with adhesive putty.
Many residents responded with appreciation. Brown said earlier in the day a farmer stopped and shook hands with each volunteer.
"That's thanks enough for me," Brown said.
Work continues today on the cemetery restoration project.
Contact Josh Nelson at (319) 291-1565 or josh.nelson@wcfcourier.com.
The area received a major blow May 25 when one of the strongest tornadoes to ever hit the state clipped the community's northern edge. Two weeks later, severe flooding claimed much of the rest of the town.
Recovery efforts picked up recently when monument companies from across the state moved in to repair damage at the Oak Hill Cemetery north of town. The cemetery took a direct hit from the F5 tornado.
"This is exciting for us to get something back like it was before the tornado," said Meinard Koop, of rural New Hartford.
Even if it's only one of the things, he added.
The storm ripped about 460 tombstones --- some weighing up to 2,000 pounds --- from their bases, tossing them on the grass like handful of pebbles. Part of the task was just trying to figure out where the markers were originally. Volunteers walked up and down the rows of stones with maps in hand and sorted out what belonged where.
Clyde Luck, another volunteer, said cemetery records survived the flooding, which helped crews decipher the cemetery's layout. For the most part, matching the names to the map was fairly easy, he said.
"We haven't lost any so far," Luck said. "That's a good thing."
One matching set belonged to the Reid family. Patriarch Fred Reid's stone was close by the large marker bearing the family's surname. Mother Rosa's marker was eight rows away.
"Bring Rosa home," said Tom Ambrose, a member of the New Hartford Fire Department.
Ambrose plugged away, laughing and joking. Within eyesight of the cemetery stood a solitary flag and a pile of rubble that was his home. The tornado claimed that, too.
The effort to restore the cemetery originated with two people --- Gordy Ballhagen, a councilman in New Hartford, and Lance Banwart of Black Hawk Memorial. Ballhagen contacted Banwart looking for information on how to fix the stones. Banwart then spread word through the Monument Builders of Iowa and solicited help.
"When you got something big to do in your area, what do you do? Call your friends," Banwart said.
Ballhagen said he was thankful the crews came out and helped to repair the damage. After the tornado struck, few stones remained standing.
But it could have been worse. The twister hit on the Sunday afternoon of Memorial Day weekend, when many people were laying flowers at gravestones, Ballhagen said.
Crews travelled from Denison, DeWitt and Nevada to help with repairs. Banwart said this is the first time he's seen damage on such a wide scale. Most repair jobs are smaller, usually caused by vandals or falling limbs.
Steve Brown of Nevada Monument Restoration said about 10 years ago he worked on a job fixing about 110 stones. That work was at a cemetery in Marshalltown damaged by vandals.
"We've never seen the wind just carry monuments a few yards that weigh a couple tons," Brown said.
Having the right equipment helps speed the repair process. Brown's three-member crew came in a truck equipped with a hydraulic crane that can lift the bulky stones into position before the workers secure the monument with adhesive putty.
Many residents responded with appreciation. Brown said earlier in the day a farmer stopped and shook hands with each volunteer.
"That's thanks enough for me," Brown said.
Work continues today on the cemetery restoration project.
Contact Josh Nelson at (319) 291-1565 or josh.nelson@wcfcourier.com.
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