Ex-Gov. Ann Richards' grave awaits permanent marker

Source: Associated Press

AUSTIN — More than a year after her death, former Gov. Ann Richards' grave at the Texas State Cemetery has no permanent marker.

The multitude who visit the burial site of the flamboyant former Texas leader see a temporary stone bearing her name. The 2½-foot-high marker was erected because people had trouble finding the spot without the help of cemetery officials.

"That grave has attracted a lot of visitors," said cemetery Superintendent Harry Bradley, who arranged for the temporary gravestone. He said the permanent stone has been selected by her family and approved by him.

"It's coming," Bradley said on Monday. "They may walk in today with the thing; I don't know."

Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5331128.html

with a flyer accusing Ann of being a lesbian with an agenda to convert their children to homosexuality.. just before the election.

one of the worst of roves dirty tricks

As much as FReepers have chastised her for delaying in getting Casey a permanent headstone, you'd think they'd be all over the Richards family as well. But they're not known for being consistent.

Compared with some others, the wait for Richards' gravestone hasn't been long, said Bradley, noting that a seven- to nine-month wait isn't unusual and that a few graves have gone four or five years without markers.

...Bradley said Richards' gravestone isn't a standard type, readily available for purchase, so ordering it takes time. He referred specific questions about it to Richards' family but recalled that the wording selected for the marker is "pretty reserved."

Occasionally, Bradley said, he rejects gravestone wording because it's too political, but that wasn't the case with Richards' stone.


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Sheehan finally did get a marker, but she acknowledged that she had difficulty coming to terms with the finality of it all. Snopes has a good synopsis, here: http://www.snopes.com/politics/war/sheehangrave.asp

....For two years after Casey Sheehan’s death, his burial site in a Vacaville, California, cemetery remained unadorned with a formal headstone (although it was marked by a simple placard. In April 2006, Cindy Sheehan attempted to articulate the reasons for the lack of a headstone at her son’s grave, citing her grief and unwillingness to acknowledge her son’s death with a tangible symbol:

For the first year after Casey was killed, I didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want to place a TOMBstone on my son’s grave. I didn’t want one more marble proof that my son was dead. I couldn’t even call where he was buried a “cemetery,” I had to call it “Casey’s Park.” I placed fresh flowers in the cup every week and journaled there almost on a daily basis, and often laid on it and fell asleep and dreamed of my needlessly killed son.
In the same explanation, she also suggested that part of the reason for the lack of a headstone might be a dispute over monies paid to the mortuary that handled Casey’s funeral services:

That was seriously rough on her.