Before Meadowvale Cemetery became the serene park-like setting it is today, the land was a working farm owned by the Gummerson family. When the property was sold for cemetery development, Mr. Gummerson didn’t simply walk away – he continued to cultivate parts of the land even as burials began in other sections. Families purchasing graves in those early years often appreciated knowing their loved ones would rest in soil that had been cared for by a local farmer and not, for example, on industrial land. Wheat, barley and corn grew in areas that are now Sections 19, 20 and 23, while burials took place in Section 2 – a rare overlap of life and legacy.
The Gummerson family’s connection endured beyond the sale. Linda, Mr. Gummerson’s daughter, worked as a security guard at Meadowvale for many years, maintaining ties to the land her family once farmed. Even today, original farm buildings remain on-site, repurposed to store cemetery equipment, a quiet reminder of Meadowvale’s roots and the family who helped shape its history.
Source:
• Meadowvale Cemetery Staff
