Since Anderson Valley is a small place (population around 3,000), the odds of knowing, or at least knowing of someone who dies in the Valley is fairly high. Valley residents tend to be in groups with their own way of remembering their dead. These four are: the old timers and their descendants — many who were born and lived their entire lives here; the back-to-the-landers who have lived their entire adult lives here; retirees who came after their working lives were over; and the Mexican community, who mostly came to tend the valley’s many grape vineyards.
When the old-timers lose someone they follow time-honored patterns often posting a notice at the post office, sometimes inviting those interested to attend a funeral, memorial or celebration of life. These open ended invitations often require a large space. The Anderson Valley Grange Hall, the Mendocino County Apple Hall at the Fairgrounds, the History Museum's Rose Room, the Fairground Dining Hall and, in good weather, the Redwood Grove at the Fairgrounds.
Food is provided by a potluck, the family, or catered by locals. At these gatherings, everyone is asked to share stories about the deceased. There are laughs, and there are tears. Lots of local history bubbles up. Even when the deceased is not well known to some attendees, these occasions are interesting and quite lively. Often some time has passed since the death, making it more of a party to celebrate the person‘s life than a funeral to mourn their passing.
Back-to-the-landers share stories that are sometimes uproarious in tone sometimes coming from their original free-love and pot smoking histories and less from an extended family — more friendship celebrating. Many back-to-the-landers left their families of origin behind to build lives here. The Valley they came to offered cheap logged-over timber land to young families. This is very far from the case today.
Retirees are mostly solid citizens with responsible jobs elsewhere who dreamed of the freedom that country living would provide. Many are very social with a large networks of friends from the past besides their retirement connections here.
The Mexican community has its own traditions and customs. Big turnouts often meet at the Grange or the Apple Hall. Cars are double parked in two solid rows along Highway 128. Lots of lively kids and music mark these occasions.
Most people end up buried in the ground no matter which group they come from. The Anderson Valley Cemetery District offers five graveyards. The history of settlers in the valley (beyond the original Indian tribes of course) goes back to Walter Anderson’s arrival in 1852.
Visiting the Evergreen Cemetery in Boonville you will find many very old gravestones for example; Cynthia Rawles 1877, Joseph Rawles 1881, Aunt Susan Stubblefield 1893 “awaiting the resurrection,“ James Farrell 1892 “resting in peace." Marguerite Kendall 1906 — “she has done what she could.“ Many of the old stone markers include carved clasped hands indicating farewell, and an eternal connection.
The five graveyards are: Evergreen at 12631 Anderson Valley Way in Boonville, Shields/Studebaker in Philo at mile marker 20.5 off Highway 128, Rawles/Babcock off Mountain View Road across from Orbaun Road in Boonville, Yorkville Cemetery at mile marker 37.82 on Highway 128, and Ingram at 2311 Highway 128 on the Hill Ranch also in Yorkville. Both Babcock and Shields are full with the exception of family members related to those already buried there. Evergreen and Ingram are the most accessible.
To arrange for a burial in Anderson Valley you can call Alicia Perez at 707-621-1091. She has all the information you will need. She and her husband maintain all the graveyards, dig and fill the graves, and have maps of all of them. Rates are very reasonable compared to urban cemeteries and within reach of anyone. The deceased must be a resident, past resident, family member or veteran.
There is a website called Findagrave.com that is very useful in locating gravesites. If you have gravesite information you can add it to this site. Here in Anderson Valley the Anderson Valley Historical Society is a great resource as is Yorkville resident Valerie Hanelt who has been working on the cemeteries in Anderson Valley and uploading genealogical information on pioneers and early settlers and their descendants for many years.
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