September 2020

Page A22 SEPTEMBER 2020 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A politics for nearly a quarter of a century was the proc- lamation made by President Lincoln on July 25th in national observance of Van Buren’s passing. Van Buren’s health deteriorated quickly begin- ning in May of 1862. He began suffering from a pulmonary disease and consulted physicians in New York City, all of whom agreed that the pro- cess was incurable and irreversible. Locals in Kin- derhook were in shock by the former president’s appearance. He could hardly walk and in short order took to his bed, never to get out again. On July 15, Van Buren’s condition turned critical. His circu- lation began to fail, and his skin was blue and clammy. By this time, his brain had been deprived of adequate amounts of oxy- gen. When his sons arrived, he hardly recognized them. Then on July 21st, Van Buren slipped into a coma. He lay in the coma for three days, and at 2:00 AM, he died. The 8th Presi- dent of the United States had lived 79 years and 231 days. One undertaker in Kinderhook by the name of John Pat- ton advertised the “Trump’s Patented Corpse Preserver.” The Trump contraption was advertised as being able to “preserve a corpse from decay in the hottest weather.” Whether or not the Trump Corpse Preserver was used to “embalm” President Van Buren is speculation, however, the body remained in the “corpse preserver” for four days from his death to the burial in hot July weather and no accounts of the funeral indicate any offensiveness from decomposition. On Friday, July 25, 1862, Van Buren’s body was placed in a simple rosewood casket. The casket had six small silver han- dles, was trimmed in silver with ornaments on the side, and had an oval top cover. The President was shrouded in a white satin robe with a satin sash passing over his shoulder and heart. A formal white tie was placed around his neck. Van Buren’s remains were removed to the main recep- tion hall of his mansion where the casket rested on a bier with the President’s feet pointing toward the large Dutch By Todd Van Beck Martin Van Buren died on July 24, 1862 at his coun- try estate Lindenwald, located in the small Dutch com- munity of Kinderhook, New York. His death did not receive much national attention. In fact, it could be said that he died in comparative obscurity. The lack of public attention surrounding Van Buren’s death was because in July of 1862, the newspaper headlines focused on the Great American Civil War. Many newspa- pers did not even print Van Buren’s obituary. The only at- tention given to the old ex-president who had been out of M artin V an B uren the eighth President of the United States of America Rest in Peace, Mr. President. That was the hope... that our presidents would rest in peace, but that has not always happened. For example, between 1865 and 1901 Lincoln’s remains were moved 18 times. Funerals are a reflection of how people live their lives, and this remains true for the funerals of our U.S. presi- dents. This series offers a glimpse into the deaths and funerals of our presidents, while offering overdue rec- ognition to the scores of funeral professionals who la- bored ceaselessly to carry out the wishes of the presi- dents, their families, and in some cases, the wishes of the United States government. Each account tells an interesting story. I hope you enjoy this new series. —TVB Todd W. Van Beck is associated with John A. Gupton College in Nashville, and has been an author, teacher, practitioner, and speak- er for over 40 years. On May 30, 2018 Van Beck celebrated 50 years in funeral service. You can reach Todd at 615-327-3927. FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS www.nomispublications.com Monthly Columns online at Rest In Peace, Mr. President door, which served as the main entrance. On Monday, July 28 at noon, the clergy held a private family service at the mansion before Van Buren was taken to the Kinderhook Dutch Reformed Church for the formal funeral ritu- als. All business in Kinderhook was suspend- ed, and the buildings around the village square were all draped in signs of mourning. During the funeral service, the large Van Buren family sat in the President’s box pew, which was located in the southeast corner of the church. When the funeral was concluded, the cas- ket was opened and the entire congregation passed slowly by to give their final farewells. It was about 3:00 PM when the 81 carriages plus the funeral coach started for the Dutch Reformed Cemetery. The funeral procession was led by members of the Kin- derhook Fire Company #2. The firemen were dressed in bright red shirts, helmets, and mourning badges on their left arms. The majority of firemen in the procession were older, because most of the young men of Kinderhook were off fighting in the Civil War. Following the burial, a plain, 15-foot granite obelisk was placed over the grave. Van Buren was buried next to his wife Hannah, who had died in 1819. Van Buren nev- er remarried after her death. Today, Lindenwald, Van Buren’s beautiful home, has been completely restored by the National Park Service and is open to visitors. www. vischerfuneralsupplies.com For a one-time fee, the Travel Plan by Inman provides a lifetime of travel protection. The Only Travel P an Backed By Inman Shipping Worldwide ©adfinity ® Contact us today to learn more. (888) 889-8508 • travelplan@shipinman.com ShipInman.com OCEAN CITY,NJ— Memorial Reefs International is de- lighted to partner with Destination Destiny in bringing diverse green burial options to families in need. Memo- rial Reefs International provides families and their loved ones a unique final resting place that creates and perpetu- ates marine reef ecosystems, essential to facilitating fish biomass restoration and coral regeneration. Destination Destiny is the premiere eco-friendly funeral disposition company offering a variety of green funerals, and provides diverse choices to families when it matters most. They are now available to provide Undersea Me- morial Gardens off the coast of Ocean City, NJ. The mission at Memorial Reefs International is reha- bilitation and protection of the world’s ocean ecosystems through the development and use of ecologically sound artificial reef technology. The concrete used for a Memo- rial Reef has a pH balance that matches the ocean and the structure contains no rebar. This means a Memorial Reef will last hundreds of years, serving as a home for substan- tial marine life. Memorial Reefs gives families the oppor- tunity to gather around and connect in a marine paradise through a living memorial. The partnership with Steelmantown Cemetery though Destination Destiny brings Memorial Reefs Internation- al to New Jersey, where many families seek greener fu- neral options. This collaboration is perfect as Memorial Reefs International’s Undersea Memorial Gardens are lo- cated in areas where natural habitats have been weakened by climate change and human activity. The memorials are specially designed to promote regrowth and revival of lo- cal marine life. Each individual’s Memorial Reef will help to rebuild these habitats. Destination Destiny & Memorial Reefs International Announce Green Funeral Partnership in New Jersey A Natural Burial Ceremony at Steelmantown A Memorial Reef growing coral Destination Destiny and Steelmantown Cemetery seek to do the same on land. They provide an option that has a significantly reduced carbon impact and creates a more intimate funeral option with hand-dug graves and natu- ral burials within their historic cemetery in Woodbine, NJ. Burials are free from toxic chemicals that can leech into the soil and the individuals are placed in environ- mentally friendly shrouds or wicker caskets. The founder of Destination Destiny and Steelmantown Cemetery, Ed Bixby  states it as such, “Eco-friendly funeral options are the future of funeral service. We strive to create a better future by stewarding the environment while celebrating the life that was lived and how that individual chose to live their life.” Destination Destiny’s reputation precedes them in their New Jersey community through the work done at Steelmantown Cemetery. As a company, Steelmantown has made significant strides in elevating green funerals to the national conversation for those in need and in high- lighting the diverse options available in the death care industry. The team at Memorial Reefs International are ecstatic about the opportunity to collaborate in such a historic area, with a group as respected as Steelmantown/ Destination Destiny. For more information about Memorial Reefs In- ternational, contact  Danny Santiago by email at 243773@email4pr.com, call 1-808-427-5523 or visit www.memorialreefs.international . For additional informa- tion about the partnership, contact Edward Bixby at 609- 892-4429 or email edb@destinationdestinymemorials.com. Call 609-628-2297 for direct sales queries. L ike Us On Facebook!