It isn't every day that you find a covered bridge at a cemetery but the day I located this covered bridge wasn't just any day. It was an adventure day.
When I left Muncie that Saturday morning, I was headed toward Fairmount via Route 3 so I could swing by this bridge. It was a gorgeous morning and the warm glow of the sun made it even prettier after the previous day's gloom.
Gardens of Memory Funeral Home and Cemetery have served the Muncie area since 1954, according to their website.
Their covered bridge spans a small stream between the funeral home and cemetery so that the deceased will be carried over the bridge to their final resting place. The very idea pleased me for some reason. I suppose it's just lovely to think of a bridge being part of that transition from the world of the living to the land of the deceased.
There's a plaque dedicated to Ray Parsons. Can you read it?
It says "In grateful recognition of Ray L. Parsons 1954-1988. We wish to say thank you for your insight and help with the dream of our founders for Gardens of Memory Cemetery."
You know I wasn't about to let that go. So I Googled Mr Parsons and learned that he was a well known local businessman who owned several businesses including a successful construction company. The father of five and grandfather of nineteen grandchildren and great grandchildren had already buried his wife when he passed away in 2018.
Along the way, I also located an obituary for his brother Charles who had passed away four years before. Incidentally, Charles died on Thursday, December 4, 2014 and Ray passed on Thursday, December 6, 2018.
Don't ask why I think that's interesting. It just is.
Anyway, Charles' obituary notes that he worked on the design and construction of this bridge and said he was proud of it.
I hope they were both proud of it as it's a nice bridge and well done with the partially open sides that allow light to stream through. Combined with the peaceful cemetery and adjacent fields, this bridge is picturesque.
If you go, you'll find it at 10501 IN-3, Muncie.
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