Death - too recent

[+elyob]

Out of respect for the family members, how recent is too recent for including information about the deceased in a waymark? This is not a new topic but I have been unable to find the earlier discussion. Perhaps the suggested delay to waymark the deceased is actually written in a category description. Perhaps it was suggested on this forum. Perhaps I read the suggestions presented in voting for a new category proposal. Thanks in advance.

[+Manville Possum]

Out of respect for the family members, how recent is too recent for including information about the deceased in a waymark? This is not a new topic but I have been unable to find the earlier discussion. Perhaps the suggested delay to waymark the deceased is actually written in a category description. Perhaps it was suggested on this forum. Perhaps I read the suggestions presented in voting for a new category proposal. Thanks in advance.

 

In some of the categories that I help manage it's five years.

[+MountainWoods]

Considering that obituary information is entered into FindAGrave as soon as a contributor can get around to putting it in, there doesn't seem to be any waiting period there. Since Waymarking is a serious past time, and considers graves as seriously as FindAGrave does, I don't personally think we have to wait any longer than FindAGrave contributors wait.

 

I've seen obituaries in the local papers of folks who lived 100+ years, and then went out and Waymarked their headstone within a week or two, and included the usual link to the FindAGrave entry that was already there within a few days. The Headstones of Centenarians category is there to honor the folks who lived so long. Surely the families cannot be hurt by such an honor. Especially since the information pretty much parrots that found in the on line obituaries at FindAGrave, the local newspaper, and/or the funeral parlor's web site.

[+Manville Possum]

Considering that obituary information is entered into FindAGrave as soon as a contributor can get around to putting it in, there doesn't seem to be any waiting period there. Since Waymarking is a serious past time, and considers graves as seriously as FindAGrave does, I don't personally think we have to wait any longer than FindAGrave contributors wait.

 

I've seen obituaries in the local papers of folks who lived 100+ years, and then went out and Waymarked their headstone within a week or two, and included the usual link to the FindAGrave entry that was already there within a few days. The Headstones of Centenarians category is there to honor the folks who lived so long. Surely the families cannot be hurt by such an honor. Especially since the information pretty much parrots that found in the on line obituaries at FindAGrave, the local newspaper, and/or the funeral parlor's web site.

 

I don't think that we should compare the FindAGrave site to Waymarking, as Waymarking is considered a game site.

[+MountainWoods]

I do not consider it a game. It is a past time, but not a game. Fun, but serious.

[+Manville Possum]

I do not consider it a game. It is a past time, but not a game. Fun, but serious.

 

Waymarking is not a game for me either, but by it's own admittance it is a scavanger hunt. You and I enjoy Waymarking cemeteries and old headstones as historical referances, but others waymark phone booths and resturants or anything that will fill a grid or add one more number to their stats.

 

I feel that there should be a grace period on how long is acceptable for family members not to consider Waymarking disrespectful by running out and Waymarking aunt Edna as soon as you see her obituary in the newspaper. I'm only interested in the historical aspect, so if the marker is not old I'm not interested in Waymarking it. Even in the Fanous Graves group here there is a limit of no less than 5 years, to keep it respectful.

[+MountainWoods]

To each his own. I consider writing a Waymark the same kind of documentation that you find on FindAGrave. Even the weird categories like Outhouses. Just documentation.

[+Manville Possum]

To each his own. I consider writing a Waymark the same kind of documentation that you find on FindAGrave. Even the weird categories like Outhouses. Just documentation.

 

One thing that really concerns me is how Law interprets Waymarking and Tennessee cemetery laws that prohibit geocaching and games of pleasure in cemeterys. I like to think we are just documenting history and not making Aunt Edna's headstone part of a game. It would be easier to prove that I was documenting and not gamming if Aunt Edna's headstone was historical and not just an oddtiy or something.

 

I know that Tennessee and South Carolina have similar cemetry Laws, and I'm not sure of how many other States have similar Laws. I may be something useful to stay educated about.