Cremations top full burials at South Tahoe cemetery

By Kathryn Reed

Happy Homestead Cemetery in 2009 continued the trend of more people seeking cremation over full body burial.

Of the 73 burials at the South Lake Tahoe cemetery, 45 were cremations, 28 full body — or 62 percent v. 38 percent.

John McChesney

This is consistent with 2008, with 48 cremations (64 percent) and 27 full body (36 percent).

The five-year average is 57 percent cremations and 43 percent full body burials.

At the cemetery district’s board meeting Wednesday, two members were added to make it a five-member board. The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors appointed John Poell and Joe Tillson.

Their terms expire in January 2013.

John McChesney, who has been on the board for 35 years, said he expects to step down when his term expires next January.

Technically the members serve at the pleasure of the seated District 5 supervisor. If Norma Santiago is not re-elected in November, the incoming supervisor could seek to appointment some or all new cemetery board members.

Perhaps the hazard of showing up late for your first meeting is being nominated to be chairman of the board for the next year. Such was Tillson’s luck. When it came to voting, he said, “I guess” in regards to his role.

Poell is vice chairman and Del Laine secretary.

At the next meeting in the spring the board is going to consider having subcommittees, which it couldn’t have before because of being a three-person board.

Another agenda item is likely to be discussion of cooperating with the Lake Tahoe Historical Society for the preservation of Pioneer Cemetery in the Al Tahoe neighborhood.