Fly'Bye Lady Visit In FLORIDA
SARASOTA
SARASOTA
A return visit to the burgeoning Sarasota National Cemetery led to a realization that much progress has been made since a previous stopover when it was in its embryonic stages. Land for the state’s seventh national burial site for veterans was acquired in 2007 and is situated on 295 acres; originally a ranch, it had been farmed since the 1800s. Now there is a lovely administration building and welcome center rather than construction trailers that formerly served as the seat of operations. Gravesites can be located via a kiosk. Personnel are on hand to offer information. Attractive committal shelters dot the landscape, proffering an alternative to final rites at the gravesides. An expansive columbarium complex has been added, and an amphitheater will rise from the ground in the near future.
Having meandered through many burial grounds of recent vintage, it was interesting to observe contrasts within the longstanding Sarasota Memorial Park. Beyond their lawn crypts (areas with pre-constructed spaces defined by a collection of vaults already in place), a mausoleum bespeaks historical relevance, yet newcomers are still occupying the premises. Standard bronze identity plates mirror the effects of time and weather influences.
