HANSEN -- The cemetery south of town is a place of peace, with mowed grass and bright flags waving in the breeze. Gravesites there are among the oldest in Magic Valley, the oldest one from 1878.
Roughly half of the people known to be buried there are veterans.
Herman Stricker, well known in Magic Valley lore, was a Civil War veteran. His son, Roland, served in WWI.
It goes by the name of Rock Creek Cemetery or Magic Valley Veterans Memorial Cemetery, depending on what section of the cemetery someone is referring to. Whatever name it might go by, taking care of it is a labor of love, done with the hands of volunteers.
"I consider it an honor to do it," U.S. Army veteran Greg Bryant of Twin Falls said. If he doesn't help with its upkeep, he wonders who will.
At the same time, Bryant admits the effort has been a struggle.
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Bryant, who in 2022 was honored with a Spirit of Freedom award by Sen. Mike Crapo, volunteered 650 hours last year to its upkeep while traveling 2,500 miles, driving back and forth from Twin Falls.
He and several other veterans show up on Wednesdays to maintain and care for the almost six acres of grass. Watering the grounds each week can be a three-day process.
Vietnam veteran Mike Barnes drives from Buhl every week to mow. His father is buried in the cemetery.
A work crew from the county also shows up on Wednesday to trim the grass around irrigation lines that riding lawnmowers can't reach.
"I get to see my dad every week," Barnes said. His family has a long history of serving in the military, some of them paying the ultimate sacrifice.
He said veterans are needed to take care of things, just as they took care of the country while on active duty.
After the lawn mowing on Wednesday, Bryant put up small flags at each veteran's gravesite, just in time for Memorial Day.
While it's easy to tell by glancing at some headstones which are veterans, others aren't so obvious, and Bryant keeps a book to jog his memory as he puts out the approximately 135 flags.
Just how many people are buried at the cemetery is unknown. Sunken places in the ground indicate undocumented burials.
"A 100 years ago, someone would just put a wooden stake in the ground (for a headstone)," Bryant said, and those wouldn't last long.
But the annual Memorial Day service on Monday will honor veterans, both known and unknown.
Idaho Rep. David Leavitt will speak, a three-shot volley will fire, and taps will be played.
The latter events will be overseen by Bryant, who is also commander of the Magic Valley Honor Guard, a group that volunteers their time to provide military funerals for veterans. They assist with about 85 funerals per year.
It is also a labor of love.
Giving of his time is something Bryant, 75, says he's willing to do, but feels obligated.
If you don't help others, Bryant said, you can't expect people to help you in a time of need.
The effort to maintain the cemetery grew larger three years ago. Three acres with 18 headstones -- and likely many unmarked graves -- were donated to the cemetery.
It previously had cattle grazing on it, "and it was so bad, so rough," Bryant said.
That area will be looking progressively better since it has been getting watered. A new irrigation line makes watering easy, eliminating the need for hoses, but it is one of the things that makes it difficult for a small crew of volunteers to handle.
"We are struggling to get by," Bryant said.
The responsibility of the cemetery fell on veterans back in 1987, he said. Many World War II veterans were looking to assist communities at that time and people thought the cemetery would make a good service project.
And it was, Bryant said, as the veterans made improvements and got the grass growing again. But now most of those veterans have died, and Bryant has been left to manage the cemetery. He began volunteering at the cemetery in 2010 and took over as manager in 2021.
Bryant had no experience running a cemetery, let alone digging a grave, he said.
Few people are being buried at the cemetery these days, especially since the Snake River Canyon Memorial Cemetery was established in Buhl, he said. That means there's not a lot of money coming into the cemetery.
Bryant appreciates donations and recalled the kind deeds of a family whose father was buried there recently.
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"It isn't like a one-time thing where we're done with it and walking away."
"He was a good man" who repaired the cemetery's lawnmowers, charging only for parts, Bryant said. The man's family left a large donation in appreciation of the cemetery's care.
The cemetery has seen recent improvements. Wayne Sayer, a Vietnam veteran who lives down the road four miles south, led efforts about a year ago to install a cement pad and flagpoles flying the flags of all the branches of the military.
An arch and a metal cutout of a kneeling soldier will be installed later, Sayer said. It will look similar to the project he helped with a dozen years ago in Kimberly near Red Cap Corner, with the assistance of other volunteers.
"It's my way of giving thanks," Sayer said, who also built a memorial in Nebraska, in honor of his brother. He urges communities to honor their veterans.
He said Bryant and his crew keep the cemetery looking immaculate.
"I thank him every time I see him," Sayer said.
Eric Goodell reports for the Times-News. Reach him at [email protected].
Where are Memorial Day services on Monday?
Memorial Day services are scheduled at several Magic Valley locations.
Events include the following:
10 a.m., West End Cemetery, Buhl, conducted by the Buhl Veterans of Foreign Wars11 a.m., Filer Cemetery, sponsored by the Filer American Legion Post 471 p.m., Rock Creek Cemetery, Hansen, by the Magic Valley Honor Guard2 p.m., Sunset Memorial Cemetery, Twin Falls, by the Magic Valley Honor Guard
The public is welcome.
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