Spring '22 Cemetery Cleaning and Respite Garden Dedication

It was a picture perfect day to enjoy the company of friends and relatives while mowing and raking the cemetery.  There were a lot of accumulated oak leaves this year and we didn't quite get finished, but the cemetery looked trim and serene when we had to call it a day.  We were glad that Levy County Deputy Sheriff Max Long stopped by to meet folks and were surprised to have volunteers from a nearby RV park come and work with us!   Before a picnic lunch provided by volunteers, Trustee Charles King made a heart-felt speech dedicating the respite park in the memory of Shiloh volunteers, Robert Vernon and Arno Webster.  Mrs. Webster was born in Sumner and joined her family in caring for Shiloh as a child.  In 1972, when the Websters retired to Cedar Key, they began providing care to Shiloh Cemetery regularly, starting at a time when it was overgrown with Florida scrub.  In addition to organizing the cleaning of the common grounds of Shiloh Cemetery, Mr. and Mrs. Webster volunteered in many community endeavors, but particularly those involving the Baptist Church. They both taught Sunday school, organized Vacation Bible School, and traveled across the country to serve in youth camps and to work in hurricane relief centers.  Both volunteered at Cedar Key school and Mrs. Webster was once Levy County volunteer of the year for her efforts in helping students learn to read.  A registered nurse, Mrs. Webster provided nursing care to folks in our community, at times, living with them until they died - all just because she cared.  Mr. Webster organized the spring and fall cleanings of the cemetery until his death in 1997.  Mrs. Webster was a leader on the Shiloh Cemetery Board of Trustees, spearheading the development of the South area and serving as secretary/treasurer until she resigned her office in 2015, at age 90.  She continued to advise the Board of Trustees until her death in 2019.  Even though development of the respite park has just begun, we invite you to stop by just to walk in the natural setting or enjoy a picnic with your friends.