Coming up this month is Memorial Day, and the Eugene Masonic Cemetery has planned an activity-filled calendar. Keeping firmly in mind that the day was instituted as a way to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military, we have several activities honoring that meaning. Here's a preview:  

 

On Sunday and Monday, May 26th and 27th, Hope Abbey Mausoleum will be open at noon. Taps will be played as usual on the Public Square at noon. There will be a History Hunt for children and families.

 

Sunday's activities will feature "Brass on the Grass", a 30-piece British style brass band on the Public Square immediately after Taps.

 

Monday afternoon will feature two cemetery-related tours.

 

Tour #1: features the Cemetery's Native Landscape starting in the Public Square at 12:10

Tour #2: features Cemetery Highlights starting at 1:30 in front of Hope Abbey

 

 

Both Sunday and Monday will have complimentary coffee and cake in Hope Abbey. More detailed information about Memorial Day weekend will be in the May issue of this newsletter.

 

Have you seen the movie "Brassed Off"? It's an excellent introduction to British brass bands. Better yet, come hear the Oregon Brass Society (OBS) play its first outdoor concert of the season at the Eugene Masonic Cemetery on Sunday, May 26. OBS is Oregon's only ensemble based on the British brass band tradition. It will play at noon on the Public Square.

 

Conductor Dr. Chris Chapman will lead a group of 30 musicians playing a repertoire of original works, marches, and patriotic tunes, arrangements of Broadway and film scores, and popular music. The band practices weekly and performs three or four times a year. OBS was founded by Roger Rush in 2002. Brass and percussion players from the Eugene Symphonic Band formed the initial group, and many musicians continue to play in both groups.

 

The brass band movement began in England in the early 1800s as factory, mining, or town ensembles. The local band provided workers pleasant relief from their labor and became a source of pride for the community and its businesses. Brass bands number in the thousands in the United Kingdom. Competitions began in the 1850s and continue to this day. Town bands are organized much like sports leagues, and bands from throughout the UK compete for numerous championship titles.

 

The instruments in a British brass band differ significantly from American bands. Not only are no woodwinds included, but the types and sounds of brass instruments are different. With the exception of the trombones, all of the brass instruments have a conical bore design, which produces a darker and more mellow tone quality. The OBS band includes cornets, flugelhorns, tenor horns, baritones, euphoniums, tubas, and percussion.

 

Sheri Pyron, EMCA board member and OBS musician  

Changing of the Guard

Caroline Forell

It is with great pride that I take the reins as the new president of the Eugene Masonic Cemetery Association (EMCA) board of directors from past president Charley Wright. I recently spent time in New York City and Washington, D.C., cities steeped in history from the earliest days of the Republic. My visits reminded me of how lucky I am to be participating in the preservation of the history of my much younger hometown through my positions since 2015 on the EMCA board. Established in 1859, the same year that Oregon became a state, the cemetery is steeped in our community's history.

 

As the final resting place for Eugene's founding fathers and mothers and many of its more recent beloved citizens, the cemetery represents the heart and soul of our community. My mother, who lived in Eugene longer than any other place during her 90 years, is in the cemetery. So are too many of my friends from my 40 plus years here. I'm grateful for having such a natural and peaceful place to visit them.

 

What the EMCA has accomplished in restoring and improving the cemetery and Hope Abbey Mausoleum since taking over from the Masons in 1994 is nothing short of miraculous. Much thanks goes to Charley for keeping the momentum going during his relatively short time as president. With the help of generous donors, we have recently restored the floor of the abbey, hired two part-time groundskeepers to assist our landscape manager, created a secure off-site archive, and begun construction of a new fence on the north side of the cemetery.   

 

Nothing stays the same. While we continue to be an operating cemetery, space for in-ground burials, which is the major source of revenue for day-to-day operating, is running out. The board's focus is now turning to what the cemetery should be for future generations. We envision that it will eventually be a not-so-secret garden, sustained as a memorial park featuring the history and natural beauty of our community. While currently providing a beautiful place for cremains, in a few more years there will be no more burial sales.  

 

For this reason, the board will be directing more attention on increasing our endowment so that the Eugene Masonic Cemetery can be maintained in its current condition and not deteriorate as time passes. We are grateful to our past donors and look forward to working with them, as well as many new faces, as we ramp up our efforts to raise the funds that will allow the cemetery to continue to be an Oregon treasure in perpetuity.

 

Come visit. In particular, join us for our Memorial Day events on Sunday, May 26 and Monday, May 27. Details are listed above. As a special event this year, the Oregon Brass Society Band will play a concert following taps on Sunday. It's a musical event that's not to be missed. Bring your blanket and picnic basket. Hope to see you there!

 

Last month's article relating the granting of the Volunteer of the Year award to our own Karen Seidel should have mentioned that the award was sponsored by United Way of Lane County.