Theft at grave site

“I’m hoping whoever took it will put it back. That’s all we’re hoping for,” says Winfield.

Winfield’s mother, Mae Whynot passed away nine months ago. The family was still recovering from the shock when the ornament was stolen. “She was our world,” says Winfield. “She never ever had an argument with a person in this town. A very well liked woman, and I can’t understand why anyone would do that.”

The ornament was a glass hummingbird with a glass flower, and when the wind would blow, the hummingbird would lean into the flower like it was feeding. It also lit up at night. Winfield says her mother loved gardening, and this was put there because of that.

Winfield’s father was particularly upset. He goes to the cemetery twice a day to visit the site, and noticed it was gone right away. They believe because he goes so often that the ornament would have been taken sometime Monday night. “He’s probably going to the RCMP, but I don’t see it going anywhere. Who would they even ask?” says Winfield.

Mervin Zwicker, caretaker of the Atlantic Baptist Cemetery, says this isn’t the first time this has happened. He has been caretaker since 1962, and vandalism is an ongoing problem.

The cemetery is a popular shortcut for junior and senior high students. The gates for the cemetery are left open, and Zwicker says that usually he has to deal with garbage and graffiti on the shed. “I really don’t know what can be done about it,” he says.

Winfield and her family however just want the ornament returned. Even if they just left it in the cemetery, they would be happy. “All we want is for it to be put back. After that nothing else would be done,” she says.