Community Members Upset About Items Taken From Cemetery

<p>Oak Grove Cemetery completed a scheduled cleanup day on Saturday, and people throughout Fort Cobb&nbsp;are upset with the removal of items from various gravesites. &nbsp;</p>

Monday, May 15th 2017, 6:41 pm

By: News 9


Off Highway 9 in the town of Fort Cobb, the Oak Grove Cemetery is where families go to be with the ones they've lost.

Kelli Turney buried her mother-in-law here six years ago.

“She was so full of life. I mean, she was the rock. She was the glue of our family,” Turney said.

Over the weekend, her family learned the butterfly ornament they had at her mother-in-law’s grave was gone. And concrete benches, planters and other personal items had been hauled off of other family sites at the cemetery. And some things thrown in the dumpster.

“A lot of people aren’t able to afford the headstones and expensive flowers. And to have it discarded just like it’s old junk, is wrong,” Turney told News 9.

“These were all dug out of the trash last night,” said Robb Holdge, referring to small American flags.

A flyer showed the Oak Grove Cemetery board held a "cleanup" over the weekend. And a sign posted at the entrance said certain items will be picked up after a week's time. But Turney said that hadn't been enforced for two decades and there are questions as to why.

Now, she's on a mission to get the discarded gifts back to the grieving families who put them in place.

“No one has the right to take away someone’s memories or how they want to remember their loved ones,” Turney said.

Anyone who believes they may have items salvaged from the cleanup can contact Turney through her Facebook profile or by visiting the Ski Boy Drive Inn at 30196 Oklahoma 146, Fort Cobb, OK.

News 9 did not hear back from any cemetery board members for comment in time for this report.

“A lot of people aren’t able to afford the headstones and expensive flowers. And to have it discarded just like it’s old junk, is wrong,” Turney told News 9.

“These were all dug out of the trash last night,” said Robb Holdge, referring to small American flags.

A flyer showed the Oak Grove Cemetery board held a "cleanup" over the weekend. And a sign posted at the entrance said certain items will be picked up after a week's time. But Turney said that hadn't been enforced for two decades and there are questions as to why.

Now, she's on a mission to get the discarded gifts back to the grieving families who put them in place.

“No one has the right to take away someone’s memories or how they want to remember their loved ones,” Turney said.

Anyone who believes they may have items salvaged from the cleanup can contact Turney through her Facebook profile or by visiting the Ski Boy Drive Inn at 30196 Oklahoma 146, Fort Cobb, OK.

News 9 did not hear back from any cemetery board members for comment in time for this report.

","published":"2017-05-15T23:41:09.000Z","updated":"2017-05-16T03:15:36.000Z","summary":"

Oak Grove Cemetery completed a scheduled cleanup day on Saturday, and people throughout Fort Cobb are upset with the removal of items from various gravesites.  

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