Second Oakwood Cemetery tour is September 21

A committee raising money to improve Oakwood Cemetery, including the two Grand Army of the Republic circles, is planning a second cemetery tour.

The first tour occurred last October. This year, the tour date is Saturday, Sept. 21. If it rains that day, the tour will take place on Oct. 5.

The tour is themed “Shades of Honor” and features 16 stops that will illuminate Parsons residents and their contributions, including those serving in World War I and previous wars.

The tour starts at 5 p.m. on Sept. 21. David Mattox and John Cole will lead the tour. Brian and Jerry Cruz will play echo “Taps” at the event. The Brown-Bishop Post No. 704 also will conduct military honors.

Mattox said the event will last about 80 minutes.

The Parsons Area Community Foundation has two funds set up for Historic Oakwood Cemetery Improvements. One is an endowed fund and the other a non-endowed fund. The non-endowed fund can be used for circle improvements. Only the interest can be used from the endowed fund.

The cemetery is on the state and national registers of historic places, which opens up funding opportunities for further improvements. King Masonry is improving the retaining wall as you enter the cemetery and started work Thursday on improving one of the GAR circles.

A $25,000 grant and $15,000 from the non-endowed fund will pay for the work at the GAR circle. The cemetery organization and the city contributed to the $42,505 needed to repair and tuck point the retaining wall.