By Gari Voss
Six inhabitants of the Oakwood Cemetery in Allegan came to life during the early evenings of June 3rd and 4th thanks to the Friends of Oakwood Cemetery. This is the 9th year that Amanda Strickfaden has guided the creation of historic scripts that were enacted by talented actors and actresses from Allegan.
The burning question had been asked, “What does a Join the WAC poster, a vintage radio and a baseball team have in common with a World War II glider?” Answer, people related to the clue can be found in Oakwood Cemetery.
Those in attendance were captivated as Angela Emmons shared the story of Alice Meiser who graduated from Allegan High School then went on to serve 2 years in the U.S. Women’s Army Corp (WAC) during WWII before returning to Allegan.
As groups approached actor Charles Scott, he was listening intently to a Detroit Tiger’s game playing on a vintage radio, but stopped long enough to encapsulate the life of Allegan baseball pitcher Ray L. Hale, who played in the minor and major leagues in the early 1900s.
WWII glider pilot Douglas Bloomfield came alive as Jesse Dye relived the last days of his life in the Army Air Corps when he was chosen for a dangerous mission to drop ammunition to troops fighting the Germans.
Others brought to life were farm wife Elizabeth Hough portrayed by Judi Roberts; businesswoman Margaret Priebe portrayed by Linda Havens; and cigar maker Charles J. Morse portrayed by Kevin Myers.
In addition to the actors and actresses, Strickfaden gave thanks to the Mourners who gave roses and Undertakers who led the tours. Special thanks went to Hathaway Cottage and Gifts and Traci Perrigo for ticket sales, The Allegan Area Arts Council and the Benjamin Pritchard Camp 20 of the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War for their support, and the City of Allegan for the use of Oakwood Cemetery. Finally, gratitude was given to the many sponsors and supporters.
The Cemetery Workshop taught by conservators certified by the Cemetery Conservators of the United States will be June 25, 2022 from 9am to 5pm with a rain date of June 26th. The fee of $40 will include the class, a box lunch and snacks.
At 11am, Don Hilton will lead a Geology Walk to discover the different types of rocks used to make the gravestones in the cemetery. This activity is free and open to the public.