What goes on behind the scenes at a cemetery? Nick Hytrek checked in with Tony Randall, caretaker, Calvary Cemetery, to find out.
1. What do you use to dig the graves?
A shovel. The backhoe's 90 percent of it and the dump truck.
2. How long has it been since graves were dug entirely by hand?
The '60s, late '60s.
3. Do you use a shovel at all anymore?
Cremations we dig by hand and also baby graves are dug by hand.
4. How long does it take to dig a grave?
On a warm day, 45 minutes to an hour. In the winter, it could be two or three hours.
5. What are the dimensions for a grave for a casket? Are they 6 feet deep?
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Roughly 36 inches (wide) by 8 feet. We try to make it about 6 feet (deep). That can be hard with all the hills out here.
6. How do grave dimensions for urn burials differ?
We have our own vaults and we have a template that we use. They're roughly 20 inches by 25 inches and about 40 inches deep.
7. What time of day do you dig the graves?
Just whenever we get a call.
8. How much notice do you need before burial to dig the grave?
Twenty-four hours. If it's winter, 48 hours is nice.
9. What steps are taken to make sure you're digging on the correct plot?
We've got numbered pegs for each lot. We triple-check.
10. Have you ever started to dig and discovered the plot is already occupied?
No.
11. Have you ever found valuables or artifacts while digging?
I wish I could say yes, but no.
12. How challenging is the landscape to digging a grave? Do all the trees and hills pose problems?
Tree roots aren't so bad. The hills aren't so bad except for wintertime. There have been times when I've parked and the vehicle just kept going.
13. How do you dig graves in the winter when the top part of the ground is frozen?
We have a frost tooth (backhoe attachment). It looks like a giant canine tooth that scratches the ground. If that doesn't work, we use a grave heater (to heat the ground).
14. What do you do if there's a downpour and the empty grave fills with water?
We always cover our graves.
15. Do you feel like it's a morbid job?
No. Everybody's got to die.
16. What do family and friends say to you about it? Do they make funny comments about it?
Oh, all the time. "You ever dig up any bones?" Stuff like that.
17. Does the casket have to be situated any certain way in the grave?
Back in the day, they used to face the rising sun. Out here, they go all different directions.
18. Do you fill in the grave after burial, too?
Yes.
19. Do you compact the dirt and scatter grass seed on it?
We tamp it down, then seed and fertilize it.
20. What do you do at the cemetery when you're not digging graves?
We mow the grass, raise grave markers, trim trees, work on equipment. When we get done mowing, it's time to start mowing again.