‘It’s just terrible;’ Families say they’re frustrated with lack of upkeep at local cemetery

DREXEL — Families who have loved ones buried at a local cemetery say they are frustrated because of a lack of upkeep, so now they’re taking matters into their own hands.

News Center 7 spoke to people at Bear Creek Cemetery Monday who came out to leave flowers for their family members buried there. Tall grass could be seen around headstones, and according to some, it has looked a lot worse.

“If you look over there, it’s four feet high,” said Destiny Crabtree, a Drexel resident. “This has been going on the past two years.”

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Crabtree described what the cemetery looked like just a few days ago.

“It was horrible, they sunk in down all the corners,” she said. “There are holes, we beg them to fill it, but they won’t.”

Crabtree said the owners had nothing to do with the way the grass looks now.

“Don’t think they mowed the grass or helped do anything,” she said. “This is the whole Drexel community, Trotwood community teaming together to do it for our family for Memorial Day.”

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Crabtree said that getting ahold of the owner of the cemetery is difficult.

“She’s never around. We can’t get ahold of her anymore,” she said.

News Center 7 tried calling a number that was on a flyer from 2021 where the cemetery was looking for volunteers, but the number was disconnected.

Rita Gilbert was out visiting her family member’s grave, and she said the cemetery has been in rough shape for a while.

“It hasn’t been taken care of in at least three years,” Gilbert said. “It hurts your feelings, it’s disrespectful, it’s just terrible.”

Those at the cemetery said they just want it to be taken care of in the way it was years ago.

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Bear Creek Cemetery (iWitness 7 Viewer)

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