Cemetery Walk Celebrates Past, Looks to the Future

It is a living, breathing history lesson held in a cemetery. Adults and children gathered around various gravesites at the Grayslake Cemetery Oct. 3 for the 13th annual Cemetery Walk.

Seven performers shared the stories of some of the people buried in the town cemetery.

Charlotte Renehan, president of the Grayslake Historical Society, said that all seven performers did a "super job" and that four of the actors were participating in the event for the first time.

Some people attending the event were also first-timers. Tonya Leonard enjoyed her first time at the Cemetery Walk. Although she does not have relatives buried in the Grayslake Cemetery, she was interested in learning more about the town.

"I'm glad that people want to continue to share the stories of the past," she said.

Village Board Trustee Shawn Vogel led the Cemetery Walk playing Sidney Carfield, a former mayor of Grayslake who passed away in 1943.  Vogel said this was his fifth time acting in the event. He said he enjoys participating because it helps him to connect with the people attending and with the history of the town.

"I grew up in Grayslake, but even so, there is much about the early years I do not know," he said. "As a trustee, being more intimate with the town's history helps to guide me in making decisions about the character of Grayslake."

Vogel said he also has fun working with the other actors. "Everyone who acts comes away with more of a sense of history. I enjoy being a part of that realization," he said.

Connie Dunbar, treasurer of the Grayslake Historical Society, performed as Sarah Longabaugh, a woman born and raised in Grayslake who lived to be 100 years old. Dunbar said she has played various characters throughout her participation with the event.

"Many of our guests remember some of the families whose stories are presented," she said.

Performers talked about the roles of certain organizations their characters had been involved in such as the American Legion, the Royal Neighbors Society, Modern Woodsmen of America and the Eastern Star.

Renehan said that the event gets about the same amount of people in attendance each year. "It pleases me that people come not only to be entertained, but also to learn," she said.

The Cemetery Walk was hosted by the Grayslake Historical Society and was sponsored by Strang Funeral Chapel and Crematorium. Entwined provided flower arrangements.

The next Cemetery Walk will take place Oct. 2, 2011. Renehan said the event's underlying theme will be the Civil War, as 2011 will mark the 150th anniversary of the Civil War's beginning. Some Civil War veterans are also buried in the Grayslake Cemetery.