Roy Pennel can find his daughter’s grave in Memorial Park Cemetery — provided her headstone isn’t overgrown with grass.

On a recent visit to the East Lawrence cemetery, Pennel said Monday, “I had to kick hay off of six tombstones before I could find my daughter’s. I knew I was in the vicinity.”

Pennel has been a regular visitor to the cemetery since his daughter, Annette, died of cancer at age 31 in 1992.

“It’s been deteriorating a good many years,” he said Monday of the cemetery’s condition. “It’s reached the stage I can’t hardly stomach it anymore.”

Two dozen people showed up at the cemetery Monday afternoon to complain to the Journal-World about lackluster maintenance at Memorial Park. The grass, it appeared, had been freshly mowed.

But those with loved ones buried there said it’s a rare occurrence — often, about half of them said, they bring their own gardening tools to tend burial plots themselves. People were seen using weed trimmers Monday to clear grass away from headstones.

“Hell’d freeze over if we waited,” said one woman.

Little authority

Bob Myers, a cemetery auditor with the Kansas Secretary of State’s office, said Monday he would audit the cemetery next week to determine whether officials are complying with state laws requiring cemeteries to spend money made from the sale of burial plots on maintenance.

Martha Cares, Lawrence, brushes away dead grass that hid the grave marker of her husband, former state trooper Jerry Cares, at Memorial Park Cemetery. Cares and two dozen other people concerned about the neglect of upkeep at the cemetery met with members of the media Monday to share their frustrations.

Myers said no cemetery has ever been prosecuted under the law, which has no guidelines on what constitutes an adequate level of spending. Myers said he toured the cemetery several months ago after receiving complaints from people with relatives buried there.

“I didn’t see it as radically (bad) as was brought to my attention,” Myers said.

He said he had spoken with Randy Davis, an official with the cemetery.

“Conversationally, he’s said anything that’s wrong, he’ll fix,” Myers said.

City Manager Mike Wildgen said he had received complaints about the cemetery, too, but had little authority in the matter.

“There’s certain things we can do, if there’s weeds,” he said. “If we get complaints about that kind of thing, we can deal with environmental issues.”

Officials unavailable

Attempts to contact Randy Davis and other cemetery officials located out of state were unsuccessful Monday. Public records indicate the land is owned by Lawrence Memorial Park Cemetery LLC, of Atlanta.

The “resident agent” is The Corporation Company, of Topeka. A woman there Monday would not comment on the matter. She said complaints should be sent to The Corporation Company.

6News video: Cemetery maintenance draws complaints Police seek information on cemetery vandalism (08-17-04)

“When we receive it, we’ll forward it,” she said.

The 24 people who showed up at the cemetery were skeptical of promised improvements. For years, they said, grass at the cemetery has been allowed to grow out of control. When finally mowed, they said, clippings usually have been left behind, covering graves and tombstones.

“Since 1980, there’s always been problems,” said Carol Greenfield, whose parents are buried at the cemetery.

“We paid for it,” said Nina Bair, whose husband, Floyd, is buried there, “and they’re not taking care of our loved ones.”

Drastic move

But anger boiled over after recent vandalism at the cemetery. Marilyn Bray was among those who visited afterward to make sure family headstones were in good condition.

“What I found was as upsetting; I was ankle-deep in dead grass,” Bray said Monday. “I spent two hours cleaning graves, and had a 39-gallon bag of dead grass I carted off.”

Pennel, who also owns two vacant plots at the cemetery for his wife and himself, is considering a drastic move.

“If it continues the way it is, we may have to move our daughter and find new plots for ourselves,” Pennel said. “It’s like a hayfield — I’ve seen farmers keep their hayfields in better shape than that.”