Today’s [Minneapolis] StarTribune carried a sad article about the fading writing on military headstones at Fort Snelling National Cemetery here in Minnesota. It has also affected burials in other cemeteries.

“Gail Nicklason noticed the letters on her mother’s marble headstone were starting to fade. But the black letters on her father’s side of the same stone remained bold and clearly visible, even though he had died the year before his wife. Nicklason noticed the lettering on a number of stones placed in Section 17 after her mother was buried in 2008 were fading, as well.

Turns out that is the plan. Fort Snelling officials say the black lettering, using a special type of water-resistant paint called lithochrome, was never expected to be permanent. As new sections are used throughout the national cemetery system, the new headstones will not have the lithochrome paint on them, part of a national policy established in 2009 to give more uniformity to cemetery sections.”

Gail’s mother was buried in January 2008. My mother was buried at Fort Snelling in January 2008 but in a different section. My father was buried there the next year. I need to visit the cemetery before the snow falls.

“was never expected to be permanent.” Are you kidding me? Sad news. 

You may read the full story by clicking here.

© 2012 – 2014, Paula Stuart-Warren. All rights reserved.

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