Oak Hill Cemetery volunteer honored

Nancy Calendine of Pontiac was presented the Daughters of the American Revolution Service Award by the Sashabaw Plains chapter.

Calendine is a volunteer and has organized the Oak Hill CemeteryWalk in Pontiac and previously theMount Hope Cemetery Walk for approximately nine years.

“The cemetery walks introduce the public to the oldest cemetery in Pontiac and individuals who are buried there,” she said.

The land forOak Hill Cemeterywas set aside in 1822 by the Pontiac Company that settled Oakland County. Six Revolutionary War soldiers and 27 veterans of the Civil War are buried at the cemetery including General Israel B. Richadson, GovernorMoses Wisner and General Joseph T. Copeland.

Calendine uses the money from the walks to improve and repair gravestones or memorials. One of the most recent projects was the memorial stone in memory of the 283 Pontiac StateHospital asylumpatients who died at the hospital and were buried in unmarked graves.

“I believe people need to be remembered

in a respected way,” said Calendine. “Oak Hill Cemetery has history everywhere, and it is such a peaceful beautiful place.”

The Daughters of the American Revolution Community Service Award is presented to individuals who are not a member but are worthy by their volunteerism and service in the areas of historical, citizenship or environmentally conservation endeavor.

OakHillCemetery is located at 216University Dr, Pontiac.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOETTE KUNSE Jennifer Harris, Regent of Sashabaw Plains Daughters of the American Revolution chapter, presents Nancy Calendine a plaque for her years of volunteering at Oak Hill Cemetery and the cemetery walks.