Amidst legal wrangling between current and former owners of the Grandview Memorial Gardens cemetery, located outside of Madison, a group calling itself the Volunteers for Grandview Committee (VFGC) has come together to bring attention to the immediate needs at the facility.
It is the VFGC’s contention that those who are suffering most are the people who have purchased plots and services from the cemetery. There is also concern around conditions involving those already buried there.

Terry Rowlett, president of the VFGC, shared, “Since I own lots there and I have loved ones buried there, I offered to help where I could.” He, along with other committee members, recently held a meeting of about 100 concerned citizens. The emphasis was on upkeep of the grounds. Rowlett stated that costs for lawn care, grave maintenance, utilities and trash collection amount to approximately $4,000 a month. He contends that upkeep costs should be paid out of a trust fund that is tied up in litigation. According to the Madison Courier, Rowlett reported that only $1,000 has been received from that fund this year.

On the flip-side of that coin, former owner Jim Holt told the Madison Courier that the perpetual-care trust fund is not to be used for upkeep. Only the interest from the fund, $1,200-$1,400 quarterly, may be spent.

If you visit the website, grandviewmemorialgardens.com the home page reads, under the banner URGENT MESSAGE: “Upon purchasing Grandview Memorial Gardens, we are confident that the trust funds are deficient!” It goes on to say that, among other things, “Without your help we may be forced to relinquish Grandview back to the previous owners.”

These statements are attributed to current Grandview owner, Keith Mefford, who purchased the cemetery from Madison Funeral Service, Inc., owned by Jim Holt, in 2005. Madison Funeral Service, Inc. has since been sold to Larry Fox.

There are two lawsuits concerning Grandview Memorial Gardens currently pending in Decatur County. Madison Funeral Service, Inc. has sued Mefford claiming he defaulted on his contract by stopping payments after four months.

Grandview Memorial Gardens LLC has responded by suing Madison Funeral Service, Inc. claiming Holt was in default for not correcting problems Mefford claims to have brought to his attention.
No hearing date has been set for either suit.

The Volunteers for Grandview Committee plans to hold more public meetings soon in Ripley and, possibly, Switzerland counties. If you would like to make a donation, the address is VFGC, PO Box 1154, Madison IN 47250.

To volunteer or if you have questions, you may contact any of the officers listed: Cecilia Means - 812-866-8433; Terry Rowlett - 812-839-3371; Marcia Taylor Lair Smith - 812-265-0981 or Rick Tankersley - 812-265-4525.

As Terry Rowlett put it, “No matter what happens (legally) the cemetery has to be taken care of.”