Driftwood Cemetery Association To Honor Veterans

By Driftwood Cemetery Association Secretary, Shawna Graves

Driftwood Cemetery Association, a non-profit organization, maintains the cemetery grounds located off FM 150 at Elder Hill in Driftwood, and is honoring its interred veterans with a memorial unveiling and ceremony Saturday, April 27, 2019, at 1:30 PM. The public is invited to attend.

Last year, Association chairman and Driftwood resident Bob Templeton noticed there was no memorial recognizing veterans.

“We let these individuals go off to war and we need to offer some tribute of thanks,” he said.

The group soon commissioned a stone monument with engravings to include all branches of service represented there, and all names of service personnel, with space for additional inscriptions.

To dedicate the memorial, Dripping Springs VFW Four-Man Color Guard will render military honors. History buffs will enjoy guest speakers including Chairman of the Hays County Historical Commission Kate Johnson, Hays County Commissioner Pct. 4 Walt Smith, Cemetery Historian Marie Bassett, and Association President Stan Jones. There will be outdoor seating with refreshments served afterwards.

The cemetery is an affordable option for residents of Driftwood and membership information will be available.

A cemetery association allows its members to maintain the grounds and honor those who are interred as they see fit. Driftwood Cemetery Association holds two meetings yearly, one on the last Saturday of April and another on the last Saturday in October, both at 11:00 AM.  Meetings are followed by a delicious potluck featuring homemade specialties –  sometimes BBQ from the Salt Lick makes a showing, too.

The cemetery came into existence in 1884, and meetings are great for picking up local lore, some of which Marie Bassett will share at the unveiling.

“Within the peaceful oak-shaded bounds of Driftwood Cemetery lie citizens of the Republic of Texas, veterans of the Civil War, as well as of America’s major foreign conflicts, and the good people of Driftwood, regardless of denomination,” Bassett said. 

“What comes to mind when you think of a cemetery?” Templeton asked. For him, it offers a link to the past. “By dressing up graves, we make a connection. It’s all very personal,” he said.

Templeton and other Association members would like to hear more ideas from the community and see a renewed interest in the local cemetery. For more information visit www.driftwoodcemetery.com.