Vandals Target Stanley Cemeteries
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Updated: 10:28 PM Nov 12, 2007
Vandals Target Stanley Cemeteries
Vandals target a western Wisconsin cemetery, leaving more than 100 headstones in ruins.
Posted: 7:36 PM Nov 12, 2007
Reporter: Katie Heinz
Email Address: katie.heinz@weau.com
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Vandals target another western Wisconsin cemetery, leaving dozens of headstones in ruins.

City leaders in Stanley say more than 100 headstones and monuments were damaged or destroyed at Oakland and Holy Family cemeteries over the weekend.

Church leaders in charge of this cemetery describe the damage as "massive."

Vandals knocked over flower pots, tipped over and cracked headstones and shattered decorative statues.

On some of the graves, you can no longer even read the inscriptions.

"It will take quite a bit of time in order to accomplish this, but we're hoping to have the monuments back in shape before winter," said Stanley Mayor David Jankoski.

Stanley's Holy Family and Oakland cemeteries are now criss-crossed with damage and debris.

Vandals targeted the center of both cemeteries.

Now, cemetery leaders are starting a long clean up process, and police are trying to figure out who's responsible.

But for those, like Holy Family Parish Secretary Linda Linstedt, who have loved ones buried here, they say the damage goes far beyond the surface.

Linstedt says her grandparents' headstones were among the many damaged over the weekend.

"I don't understand how anyone could do this," Linstedt said. "Just last week we celebrated Cemetery Sunday. This was a beautiful, serene place. I felt peace. Today, there's just sadness."

City and cemetery leaders tell us they've contacted a monument company to come and survey the damage.

But, they say the headstones and monuments - especially the older ones - are not easy to fix.

But Linstedt tells us that for her and others who have loved ones buried here, the damage is deeper - and goes far beyond what we can see.


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