About 80 grave markers in a Paris cemetery need repairs.

PARIS – John Titus and Ray Berard have run into a problem beyond their means to solve.

That’s why Titus, 85, a World War II veteran, and Berard, 49, commander of American Legion Foster-Carroll Post No. 72 in South Paris, are seeking help and donations to repair about 80 cemetery stones and monuments at Riverside Cemetery.

And along the way, they hope to instill some community pride in townspeople.

“It would be nice if we could have families come and help, but we know times are tough and money is tight,” Berard said Friday while surveying damaged stones.

Titus said that Bolster Monumental Works of Oxford has provided the pair with an estimate of $3,040 to repair about 78 marble and slate monuments. Those stones have either heaved off their foundations because of frost or slid off after two centuries of weather-rusted iron rods holding the slabs together.

Stone replacement would be another project, Titus added.

“At the present time, there are about 80 monuments that are either down, broken or in such bad condition that they cannot be repaired, so replacement is the only answer,” Titus said.

For the veterans

Because several of the stones are veterans monuments, by Maine law, the town of Paris must maintain and repair them, he added.

“So that is one expense that the public does not have to pay for directly,” said Titus, who, 20 years ago, began documenting the graves of veterans in Paris’ 15 to 20 cemeteries.

According to his records, Riverside contains 77 Civil War veterans, 25 World War I veterans, 22 World War II veterans, five Spanish-American War vets, two veterans each from the Cuban conflict and War of 1812, and one each from the Korean War and the Mexican-American War.

“If we can get a couple thousand dollars, we can start now,” Titus said.

So far, Post 72 veterans have shown a willingness to help the town at the cemetery, both with manual labor and money.

Someone’s got to help

“The problem is that the cemetery association has no responsibility to repair stones, and they do not have the money to do so,” Titus added.

And most of the descendants of those buried in the cemetery are dead and buried themselves. Or they longer live in the area and probably aren’t aware of the damage to their predecessors’ grave markers.

“If the families are gone, nothing happens, and the cemetery just goes to hell, and somebody’s got to do something. We need some community pride.

“We need donations from individuals, businesses and civic organizations. I know the Legion will help, but they cannot do it by themselves,” Titus said.

To donate money or volunteer to help, people can call 743-8832 or Ray at 890-5402, can visit the Legion’s Web site at www.alp72.org/ or can write to American Legion Foster-Carroll Post No. 72, Cemetery Repair, P.O. Box 215, South Paris, ME 04281.

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