Honoring the Past Through Service Today: Watson Creek Cemetery

FOUNTAIN TOWNSHIP/FILLMORE COUNTY — We spend our lives planning many things: doctor’s appointments, vacations, parties, home repairs, work projects, higher education and so much more. One thing that’s often left unplanned is how we want to be honored or remembered after our passing. 

Driving through our rural corner of Minnesota, you notice many cemeteries, either in city limits, at rural churches or as private family cemeteries. 

Located on Fillmore County Road 11 (north of MN State Hwy 16, near the Fillmore County Airport west of Preston), Watson Creek Cemetery is just one of many rural cemeteries where you can plan a final resting place — but also a place where you can choose to volunteer, find community and honor those who have gone before us.  

From childhood friends to cemetery caretakers

Watson Creek Cemetery is an independent neighborhood cemetery that was started on November 8, 1858, by Thomas Watson, a fourth great-grandfather to Debbie Thompson, a Preston resident and current President of the Watson Creek Cemetery Association. 

Mr. Watson and his wife Nancy donated the land for the cemetery and for the schoolhouse that was across the street (which is now found on the Fillmore County Museum grounds in Fountain). The cemetery is approximately one acre and has 300 available spots in the main cemetery with room to expand to the acre across the street.

After Debbie’s dad, Jerry Thompson, passed away in 2018 and was buried at Watson Creek Cemetery, Debbie questioned her uncle, Ronnie Means, about the future care of the cemetery as Ronnie and her cousin, Larry Schreiber, had been taking care of the cemetery for over 30 years. Ronnie was ready to retire, and at the time, the cemetery association was not active.

Debbie called her lifelong friend, Angie Jensen, and said, “This place has to be taken care of. I need to be the somebody, and you and I need to be the somebodies.”  

Angie didn’t hesitate to say yes and became the treasurer, especially as Angie’s parents, Orville and Betty Lou Jensen, are buried at Watson Creek Cemetery and the Jensen family donated the schoolhouse land back to the cemetery in 2022. Debbie’s brother, Chris Thompson, serving as director, rounds out the board officers.

The nearly 170-year-old Watson Creek Cemetery is surrounded by farm fields and woodlands. (Photo submitted by Debbie Thompson)

A history deep-dive and an education in cemetery care

After Debbie and Angie agreed to dedicate their time and talents to the cemetery, there was much to learn. Debbie’s uncle and cousin taught Debbie and Angie everything from how to locate and plot graves to lawn care management.

Dean Berland, a local grave digger, taught Debbie many things including how to measure plots and map the cemetery. Debbie studied cemetery laws and she and Angie learned how to properly manage the bank account. Debbie and Angie are so grateful for this passing down of knowledge.

The two women didn’t really know much about the history of the cemetery, Angie said, so “Debbie really dug around and went through tons of old notebooks and documents, some that were even in poor condition and very hard to read” to learn about the cemetery’s history. Both women were really excited to learn about the history, including Angie learning that, “there was a church there which is now woods, but it was never a church cemetery.”    

A community of volunteers

Debbie learned that to get volunteers to help, “you gotta ask, and usually when you ask, the answer is yes.”

Angie’s sons, Jesse Meyer and Shane Meyer, and others have volunteered to perform maintenance over the years as well (Angie will often watch her grandkids play in the cemetery while her sons get some work done). Brandon Gossman with Gossman Dirt Works has also volunteered his time and labor at the cemetery.

Cleaning headstones became a labor of love for Debbie, as some headstones were so dirty they were not even readable. She learned from online videos how to properly raise the stones, so many of the headstones are now set properly and clean.

An up-to-date map and directory guide visitors to gravesites in the Watson Creek Cemetery. (Photo submitted by Debbie Thompson)

New gates, a water tank, and directory/map stand were made by a local metal artist. Dean Berland, Chris Thompson, Shane Meyer, and the artist helped to install the new gates. The watering tank was installed for families to be able to water flowers, and the Fountain Fire Department fills up the tank each year for a donation from the association. Volunteers are a cornerstone to making sure the cemetery is maintained.

It’s all about the map

The earliest map of the cemetery was drawn up in 1938. Four different maps were created over time but nothing aligned.

Debbie had to work hard to create a new electronic map, which provides a more accurate layout of the cemetery. She was able to consult with Dean Berland, Lewiston Monument Company, and Anderson Memorials to make sure her measurements were done correctly for today’s standards of cemetery mapping.

A map and directory displayed at the cemetery help people identify plots. Debbie put pavers in the ground with engraved numbers on them to show where open spots are so potential customers can go and look at plots without her being present. Metal spikes were put under each paver so they can always be located with a metal detector. The map that Debbie updated has set the cemetery up for success for years to come.

Stories exist around many cemeteries regarding graves being dug and unknown remains being found in an unmarked spot. Because of this, Debbie hired a ground penetration and radar company to search the cemetery for unmarked graves. This effort located seven unmarked graves, and a local metal artist created angel wings for these graves to be marked this coming summer.

The recently added Watson Creek Cemetery watering tank is used by visitors to water cemetery plantings. (Photo submitted by Debbie Thompson)

People-focused fundraising

One main goal of the cemetery association is to earn money for the future maintenance of the cemetery, so fundraising is a big part of what Angie and Debbie do each year. The cemetery receives no federal or state funding, which is a common assumption.

Inspiration from Angie and Debbie’s classmate Paul Little, of Fountain, has given them some ‘best practices’ for finding support. “People don’t give money to causes, they give money to people.”  And, he told them, you must thank donors for their gift three times. These two principles shape how the women fundraise and thank their patrons each year.  

Families that have loved ones at the cemetery, along with Debbie, have started a directory of descendants of people buried in the cemetery so she can send updates and solicit donations.

Debbie goes to the cemetery to visit with families on Memorial Day and on many summer days because making those connections are important. There are holiday wreath and headstone cleaning fundraisers each year, and donations are accepted by the association.

Having a plan

The cemetery is currently in very good hands, but a constant challenge is getting new and younger people involved in cemetery care.

Angie believes, “It is important that adults are role models to our youth,” especially when it comes to volunteering. As Debbie says, “I don’t want people to be forgotten.” The spirit of volunteering and honoring those who have gone before us is what motivates Angie and Debbie.

A plot in the cemetery costs $500.00, and they allow creativity with headstone designs which, Debbie says, “is an opportunity to do something unique.”

Watson Creek Cemetery also accepts green or natural burials, which not every cemetery allows.

“The best gift you can give your family is to plan,” says Debbie. It is always a good time to plan how you want to be honored one day, and Watson Creek Cemetery is ready with creativity and compassion to help.