Idaho Falls

In America, Memorial Day Weekend marks the beginning of the summer vaca- tion season. I think it's interesting that a holiday based on honoring those who have died in service to our country kicks off our biggest playtime of the year, but perhaps that is exactly how it should be. They gave their lives so we could enjoy this freedom of ours. I was born in Chicago, home to the larg- est population of Poles outside of Poland. My earliest memories were of large Polish gatherings, mainly weddings and funer- als. Back then, both were huge drawn out affairs with lots of family. While there was a certain amount of solemnity to both, neither was gloomy to a child. They were another chance to run around and have fun with the cousins. Cemeteries were part of both big events. Funerals are obvious, because of the burial aspect. For many wed- dings and baptisms, the church and hall were often out in the country, usually right next to the cemetery. The wedding receptions were mainly for the adults to dance and drink; they weren't exactly the best places for kids, so we often spent the time running around the cemetery checking out the headstones of our long dead relatives. Rather than scary or somber places, they were for us a playground and a place for pre-internet genealogy. Seeing our family name helped to give me a sense of place and better understand all of those who had come before and were responsible for my existence. Here in Idaho Falls, our cemeteries are islands of solitude not adjacent to busy churches. They are important places where we intern our departed loved ones, but they also have a certain calming park-like quality available to everyone, not just the bereaved. Many people only visit cemeteries to take part in funerals or to annually pay respects on certain holidays. I would suggest that in order to appreciate life more that we spend more time in cemeteries—enjoying them while we can on their topsides, because later the view will not be nearly as nice. To me, wandering through cemeteries is like surfing the internet. Each headstone offers the most basic information about the person's life, when they were born and when they died. Some provide family information about children and weddings and even, occasionally, occupations. Just like websites, some gravesites are very plain; others, incredibly ornate. Some are neglected; others, ongoing memorials. All have a story to tell if we stop and ponder and try to put them into context with neighboring graves. Many bear testament to long and happy lives, but the ones for young children are the toughest to view, especially the ones covered in teddy bears and pinwheels. They tell the story of lives cut short far too early and of the grief and sorrow of the families that lost them. In addition to Idaho Falls' large Rose Hill and Fielding Cemeteries, we also have smaller satellite cemeteries in places like New Sweden, Iona, Ammon and Lincoln, and in surrounding towns like Ririe and Rigby. While all these places still receive new residents, the truly fascinating thing is to find the older graves and learn about the early pioneers of our area. Thanks to the internet, it is now possible to visit most of the cemeteries in our area online and do your own amateur genealogi- cal research. But rather than scroll among the tombstones, I would suggest strolling among them instead. Elysium Fields Out There by Gregg Losinski 70 IDAHO FALLS MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2017 IF STEVE SMEDE PHOTO

• Cover