Cemetery landscaper is prepared for 'Old Man Winter'

By Timothy Cox

For Westminster Patch

Just a few months ago, Tom Grimes of Taneytown, worked diligently on hot Indian-Summer days cutting grass at the St. John Roman Catholic grave site adjacent to the rear entrance of the Carroll County Public Library in Westminster.

Though it’s now December, and Old Man Winter has again reared his ugly head, Grimes has put his landscaping tools to bed until next spring. But he’s definitely prepared for the ensuing snow, ice and freezing rain.

Of about 3,000 deceased people interred in the St. John Roman Catholic Cemetery, at least one family is of international acclaim.

According to Grimes, members of the Shriver family are buried at the downtown Westminster grave site.

John Novak, facilities director at St. John Roman Catholic Church, confirms that the family of Maria Shriver are interred in the cemetery.

For the uninformed, Maria Shriver is the ex-wife of former professional body builder and ex-California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger. She’s also the niece of President John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Ted Kennedy.

Grimes, 68, is a proud 1973 graduate of Westminster High School, aka the Fighting Owls.

“At the time, this was the new high school,” said Grimes who started developing his landscaping skills as a 16-year-old high school junior in the early 1970s - over 50 years ago.

“I’ve always enjoyed cutting grass and making everything look better,” he said. When questioned about working at the cemetery, he revealed that he’s contracted to work lawn care at three other area Carroll County grave sites, in addition to the Westminster location: Deer Park, Pleasant Ridge and Mount Hope in Marston, Md. “I have my own business, River Rock Paving, Inc.” he added.

Meanwhile, Novak has lots of kudos for Grimes and his work ethic.

“He’s done nothing but stellar work for us, for many years. He’s committed and a dedicated good worker," said Novak.

Grimes claims the cemetery is definitely a historic property -- a fact Novak confirms.

“The oldest headstone dates back to the early 1800s -- I believe around 1830,” said Novak.

“It’s two-and-a-half acres and it’s basically filled to capacity. It’s a family-oriented cemetery and now, you’ll find people being buried on top of other family members as space becomes limited,” he said.

Recently, the church added new cinerariums or cremation vaults to the property, as public storage to protect urns which house cremated remains.

Novak says the church owns the property and is responsible for maintaining the grounds, but not responsible for the headstones.

“That’s a very expensive venture. We tried to maintain headstones at one time.” He said parishioner families are now responsible for taking care of headstones.

Grimes’ work usually concludes in November, prior to the first snow. He is responsible for keeping sidewalks around the perimeter of the cemetery clear and safe for walkers during snowy winter months.

Grimes said he has no hesitations working alongside the dead.

“I actually love cemeteries,” he said. “It’s about doing your best work around them. You’ve got to respect these people,” he added. He said he relies on a special-made lawnmower made by a company called SCAG. “I call it my orange grass eater. It’s able to stop on a dime and make sharp, precise turns. It’s a very efficient machine for what I do to maneuver around these headstones,” he said.

SCAG power equipment is produced in Mayville, Wisconsin.

Grimes and his wife of 40 years, Tina Grimes, are parents of two daughters, Rachel, 36 and Ashley, 33. A son, Jordan, is 30.

Established in 1853, the Catholic Parish of St. John in Westminster is part of the Arch Diocese of Baltimore, one of the oldest Arch Diocese in the nation, according to Novak.

St. John Roman Catholic Church is located at 43 Monroe Street, in Westminster. The cemetery is located at the rear portion of the Carroll County (Westminster) Public Library, alongside the library’s parking lot.

For more information about St. John’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, call the church at (410) 848-4744 or info@sjwest.org.

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