Explore Okoboji
Listen Now! music notes icon
Listen! music notes icon 77° sun icon
  • Home
  • News
  • Fundraising Underway For Memorial To Identify 22 Unmarked Graves At A Local Cemetery

Fundraising Underway For Memorial To Identify 22 Unmarked Graves At A Local Cemetery

November 30, 2023 Steve Schwaller

(Spencer)– Fundraising is underway to build a memorial that will identify 22 unmarked graves at Riverside Cemetery in Spencer. Bob Rose and Mike Harleman are spearheading the project. Harleman says it’s in an area of the cemetery known as “Potter’s Field”…

“The first one was 1922, the last one was 1954. When I was out there looking I did see three grave markers and I tried to compare them to the list we’ve got and some of the names weren’t the same, so the same last name but different first name so I don’t know if they are part of that Potter’s Field or not. But I’m going to say there’s 22 people out there in Potter’s Field that need to be recognized.”

Harleman says the project has an estimated cost of $11,352…

“At this time I’m asking the general public if they would like to contribute any money to that project. I think it’s very important that those individuals be recognized, just not laying in the ground unrecognized. And this grave marker is 40 inches high, 30 inches wide, 8 inches deep, and there will be two three foot benches on either side of it.”

Anyone interested in donating should call 712-580-7250.

Back to News