Oakdale Cemetery Hosts First Fireside Chat On Sunday

The voices of the past will come alive Sunday night as the inaugural Fireside Chat at Oakdale Cemetery kicks off.

The event will be Sunday, May 27, starting at 6 p.m., and is free to the public. People are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, as it is planned to last for about an hour, if not a little longer, according to event organizer Sharon Kinnan.

The cemetery is located a half mile south of Oakdale, just off of 527th Ave.

Throughout the evening, there will be five people dressed the parts of early settlers, a Depression Day play and square dance and readings of wars and veterans’ names who were buried in the cemetery. Veteran Service Officer Tom Nelson will read the veterans’ names. Cookies and tea will be provided afterward.    

The five early settlers being portrayed include A.J. Leech — who bought the land and started the cemetery — Kate Brainard, his daughter; Orson Fields, John Malzacher and C.H. Torpin. Kinnan said Malzacher will be portrayed by a relative and Fields will be portrayed by either a grandchild or great grandchild. 

Additionally, lanterns will be placed at each of these five settlers’ graves to mark their locations.

“We’re going to hang lanterns so that people who want to walk to their grave and see where they’re buried, they can,” Kinnan said.   

The late Lois Johnson helped inspire the idea and had plans for hosting an event similar to the Fireside Chat of Renown Voices of the Past, but she passed away in 2015 before they were ever carried out, Kinnan said. 

“She had a big part in keeping all of the history of this cemetery going,” Kinnan said. “She and I had always talked about doing something like that, and we never got it done while she was alive.”

About 20 volunteers will be involved with the evening’s events and production. And as it’s the first year, Kinnan said she is unsure how large of a turnout it will bring.

“I just hope everybody has fun, and they learn a little history of the cemetery and the early settlers,” Kinnan said.  ​