Volunteers look to bring cemetery back to life

Carolyn Nichols, of Eldon, Mo., places flowers on her grandparents' graves Monday, May 23, 2011, in Elston, Mo. Nichols, who grew up in Elston, has been instrumental in establishing the Friends of Elston Cemetery group after an acquaintance mentioned last year that it was in disrepair. Elston is just north of St. Martins on Route T.
Carolyn Nichols, of Eldon, Mo., places flowers on her grandparents' graves Monday, May 23, 2011, in Elston, Mo. Nichols, who grew up in Elston, has been instrumental in establishing the Friends of Elston Cemetery group after an acquaintance mentioned last year that it was in disrepair. Elston is just north of St. Martins on Route T.

ELSTON, Mo. - Carolyn Surface Nichols remembers going to picnics near the old Elston Cemetery as a child in the 1950s.

She and her friends would play among the headstones and in the yard of the nearby Sardis Union Church while the adults would mow the cemetery grounds, pick weeds and clean stones.

Built in 1925, the church is now boarded up in places and falling down in others. The cemetery isn't faring much better.

Armed with childhood memories and the desire to keep the cemetery intact, Nichols decided to find out who was responsible for maintaining the grounds.