St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery
St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery
We strive to minister to our families in their time of need through providing tender and attentive care with quality services. Generations of families have selected St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery as their place of perpetual rest.
Our mission is to provide the best possible service, to maintain the cemetery to the highest standards, and to provide other services deemed necessary to enhance the quality of burials for lot owners in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery.
Contact the Parish Office and ask for Trish Stultz to purchase a plot or a columbarium niche, and Joe Massengill for any maintenance needs.
Looking for the gravesite of a loved one? Locate their final resting place in our parish cemetery by visiting BurialSearch.com
St. Joseph Cemetery 1873-Present
Previous to 1870, some Maumee Catholic people, whose graves were blessed at the time of burial, were interred in the local public cemetery. Other interments were made on a tract of three acres that Jacob Dennis had allowed the parish to use. This first temporary burial ground was on his farm near Swan Creek at the intersection of Manley and Salisbury Roads.
In 1873, Father Peter Baker was active in acquiring the first tract of land of the present cemetery property. This new tract was just on the western outskirts of the village near the canal and the “Side Cut” and was 6 1/2 acres in area. The price paid to Samuel M. Young, a trustee for property owner Henry Forsyth, was $817.50. The tract was deeded to St. Joseph Catholic Church on March 20, 1873.
The keen interest of the Catholics of Maumee in the parish property was revealed in the spirited discussions, which took place among them concerning the acquisition of the new cemetery. After those who favored the Forsyth property had won the debate, all men of the parish, some of them with their teams, spent many days clearing and grading the tract. Such generosity and whole-hearted cooperation concerning parish projects, which has always characterized the people of St. Joseph’s, kept the cost of the cemetery down to about $1,000.
Father Baker raised money by going from one Catholic home to another asking for donations for the new cemetery. Those who contributed were given first choice of burial sites. When all parish families had been visited and made their first choices, Father Baker then offered another four-grave lot to those who would increase their original contributions by $5. Those who rested at the Old Dennis Cemetery were moved to the new location.
It was once stated “It is beautifully located and at the time it was considered the finest and best kept burial grounds in the western part of the diocese.” In 1881, Father John B. Burkel placed a large “marble” cross, in what was then the center of the cemetery.
In the 1990s and early 2000s there was the addition of a flagpole, new fencing, an entryway sign, and street signs. An additional parcel of land was also purchased on the east end of the property. The Knights of Columbus’s Memorial to the Unborn was moved to its current, more prominent location through a parishioner's Eagle Scout project.
Some graves date back to the Civil War (1861-1865). There are 413 known veterans buried in the cemetery. Currently the Cemetery is approximately 18 acres.
The work ethic and generosity of St. Joseph parishioners still exists today. Additional projects have been completed due to donations and cemetery envelope collections.
This is evidenced by the improvements seen at the cemetery—clearing of trees, refurbishing the entryway sign and plantings around it, spring and fall cleanups by volunteers, Wreaths Across America for Veterans and continued weekly maintenance and care of the grounds.
May God continue to bless our parish and those that have passed before us.
Cemetery Decorations and Cleanups
It is strongly suggested that expensive and personal items or those with strong emotional attachments not be placed on graves.
Please limit decorations to three per gravesite. Flowers, containers, and plants will be removed and discarded when they become unsightly or are placed in a non-approved container.
Religious statues, crosses, American flags, Veterans’ markers are allowed provided they are immediately adjacent to the grave monument or contained in potted plant containers. Shepherd's hooks are permitted, are not to exceed two feet above the marker/monument, and must be placed adjacent to the foundation. One solar/battery-powered non-glass vigil light is permitted per grave, limited to 18 inches in height. No solar spotlights will be permitted. Metal stands, trellises, decorative pots, planters, glass vases & containers, non-religious statues, wind socks, team flags, banners, pinwheels, trinkets, and birdhouses or feeders are not permitted and will be removed.
Alcoholic containers and paraphernalia are not allowed and will be disposed of immediately.
Potted plants are allowed in approved, non-breakable containers during the growing season (Apr. 1 – Nov. 1). They may be placed on a flush marker or suspended from a Shepherd’s hook. All summer decorations after Nov. 1 will be removed and discarded by cemetery personnel during fall clean-up.
Winter wreaths, grave blankets and pillows, and plastic decorations may be placed after Nov. 1st. All winter decorations remaining after Mar.1 will be removed and discarded by cemetery personnel during spring clean-up.
The planting of trees, shrubs, flowers, and plants, as well as the removal or addition of sod, is permitted by cemetery personnel only. Cemetery personnel reserve the right to remove any and all plantings for the purpose of maintenance and upkeep of the cemetery.
All non-approved materials will be removed and discarded by cemetery personnel.
St. Joseph Cemetery and/or St. Joseph Parish is not responsible for any damage to monuments, columbaria, decorations, etc., caused by regular maintenance, weather, and/or acts of vandalism.
A general clean-up of St. Joseph Cemetery is performed two times per year. The target clean-up dates are: Spring, on or about Mar. 15, and Fall, on or about Oct. 15. All personal items should be removed by the family prior to all scheduled clean-ups.
Columbarium Niches
Columbarium niches may be purchased by members of St. Joseph, Maumee, who have been parishioners for a minimum of nine months. In the event of the death of the registered parishioner before reaching the nine-month requirement, the parishioner’s heir may purchase a columbarium niche for the parishioner and his/her spouse. The parishioner may purchase columbarium niches for themselves, their spouses, parents, and unmarried children. The payment policy is a minimum of 25% down payment at the time of purchase, with the balance to be paid within six months after the initial down payment. All at-need columbarium niche purchases must be paid in full. For the perpetual care of St. Joseph Cemetery, a portion of the purchase price will be deposited to the cemetery endowment fund.
Columbarium niches will be sold by the pastor’s designee in the Parish Office. Purchasers of niches shall receive a certificate/deed entitling them to the right of interment of the dead in said columbarium niches, subject to the rules and regulations of St. Joseph Cemetery, the discipline of the Roman Catholic Church, and the laws of the Diocese of Toledo now in force or that may hereafter be adopted, with regard to funerals and interments.
Columbarium niche owners may only sell unused niches back to St. Joseph Parish for a refund of the original purchase price.
Columbarium niche opening and closing fees are subject to periodic review, and may be adjusted to meet costs at the times of service. They must be paid in full before interment.