A Public Cemetery for Central

By Mia Freneaux
    Bethel United Methodist Church has a long history of offering a helping hand to our community.  And now, they’re doing it again.
Founded in 1814 by circuit riders, Bethel offered spiritual support, an opportunity for fellowship, and a final resting place to not just its members, but any who were in need.  Looking around the cemetery, one can see tombstones dating back to the Civil War.  “Both Union and Confederate soldiers are buried here,” shared lifelong member Dale Jones.  “Bethel was on the road between Vicksburg and Baton Rouge, and there was actually a skirmish that took place right here.  The church building was used as a hospital, then burned down as the Union troops moved on.”  Most of the stones show the erosion of time, but one can still make out “Clayton, Co. F, 3 LA Cav., CSA” on one of them.  
    Until 1945, the cemetery at Bethel had been open to the community.  Dale shared that several tuberculosis patients from the Greenwell Springs Hospital are buried there because they had no family to come and claim their bodies.  In another incident, “I remember one Sunday when I was just a girl, a young couple came to the church.  They were carrying a small coffin that held the body of their baby.  They asked if they could bury their child at Bethel, because they had nowhere else to go.  So we had a service and buried the baby.”
    After 1945, Bethel became a full station church and in 1959 built its 5th and most recent sanctuary.  Two years ago, the congregation had a new vision for their church facility.   They were receiving phone calls frequently from Charlet Funeral Home and Seale Funeral Home asking if they could sell plots to families of the deceased.  That started the effort.   “The idea was born as most ideas are,” remembered Dale, “as a seed that’s planted.  You talk about it, pray about it, and then see if maybe that’s what God is leading us to do.”
    Borne out of the desire to give back to the community of Central, Bethel decided to take a large section of their property and create a public cemetery.  “We realized that Central had no public cemetery.  Every cemetery in the city is owned by a church.  So we began the two year long process to gain the state’s approval.” 
    Bethel was fortunate in that it already had a working cemetery, so they were able to skip many of the preliminaries.  The process was still a long and involved one.  “We met with the Cemetery Board in Metairie, we met with the Secretary of State, we met with the Clerk of Court, we met with Stacy Seale of Seale Funeral Home.  They were all very helpful.” Finally, last November they received the approval to open Central’s first public cemetery.  “We have our escrow for upkeep open, we have a landscape architect providing us with a plan, and we have the congregation ready to get to work on the hardscape,” Dale said.  
    The cemetery will be located on the east side of the church.  Plans are in place to create a gazebo and garden to beautify the location and give families a place to reflect.  Bethel’s sanctuary and fellowship hall with kitchen are available to families for services for just a custodial fee.  Understandably excited, Bethel’s congregation is ready to accept its latest iteration of serving Central. Dale said enthusiastically, “It just proves if it’s something God wants done, then He will provide all that’s necessary.”
    For more information, contact Dale Jones at 225-571-2066 or email her at [email protected].