Members of Partridge Cemetery Association (PCA) in Woolwich paid memorial tribute to a longtime, dedicated member, David Wallace, at the annual meeting held June 2 at North Woolwich Methodist Church (NWMC) on River Road. Wallace, who died of cancer while wintering in Florida in late April, had served as PCA treasurer and Superintendent of Grounds since the association was reactivated in 2011.

President Eunice Leach read a Resolution of Respect and asked for a moment of silence in Wallace’s memory at the opening of the meeting. She gave copies of the resolution to his family who attended the meeting.

When the association officers aged and gradually died in the early 1990s and there was no replacement of officers, PCA went defunct. Wallace protected the money in the treasury and some of the records his relatives had left. He used some of the funds for upkeep of the cemetery and on his own initiative made sure the cemetery was seasonally well kept over the years. He was one of a few descendants of those buried in Partridge Cemetery to reactivate the association 12 years ago.

Thanks to Wallace and other dedicated members, the association is now accepting burials. From 1995 to 2013, no burials were made in Partridge Cemetery. President Leach reported that she has sent a letter regarding lot availability, rules and regulations to local funeral homes to let them know PCA has revised the by-laws and brought the cemetery up to modern day standards to make burial lots available.

In other business, officers were elected for the coming year. They are: Eunice Leach, president; Todd A. Temple, treasurer; Brian Wallace, assistant treasurer; Marilyn R. Bennett, secretary; and Richard Knight, Supt. of Grounds and auditor. Directors elected in 2022 to serve until 2025 are: Hayden D,. Temple, Todd A. Temple, Brian Wallace, Richard Knight and Stephanie Allen.

As Supt. of Grounds, Knight was authorized by members to set a date with Stevens Memorials to tour the cemetery in the near future to get an estimate on stone repairs needed.

Brian Swift has been hired for the third season to mow and trim the cemetery, located on River Road. President Leach said she had received several comments on how neat the cemetery was for Memorial Day.

A fall meeting date of Thursday, Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. at NWMC was set. There were 12 members at the June meeting.