Creating a Memorial at Oakland Cemetery

By Bob Muschewske and Leaetta Hough, January, 2023

Linda and Jack decided they would like to be cremated and their ashes placed in locations of personal significance to them. Although choosing not to be buried in the traditional manner, they did wish to have a special place where family and friends could “visit” and reflect on their own lives and the relationship of their lives to Linda and Jack.

Where would that special place be located and what would it look like?

The answer to that question begins with the death in 2007 of Marvin Dunnette, late husband of Leaetta Hough - a close and long-time friend of Linda and Jack. The question for Leaetta at that moment was…where should Marvin be buried?

Leaetta in her customary thoughtful and long-term approach to problem solving, selected Oakland Cemetery – the oldest public cemetery in St. Paul founded in 1853. It is the historic resting place for many of St. Paul’s prominent citizens as well as recent arrivals – such as the Hmong – who enrich the vibrant St. Paul community.

Knowing that it might be a suitable site for her own burial as well as members of her extended St. Paul family; she purchased 22 plots in a beautiful section of the cemetery.

She immediately faced a conundrum. Of course, there would be individual headstones for all who would be buried there but was there a way to create an object – be it a bench or a monument of some unique design – that could incorporate the surnames names of all who might be buried in the several plots? 

While wrestling with this question, Leaetta began to realize that she purchased more plots than she or her family would need. In a casual conversation with Linda and Jack several years ago, Leaetta mentioned to Linda and Jack that if they wanted plots for their use, it would be “First come; first served.”

With the pending death of Jack in the spring of 2022, Linda and Jack asked Leaetta if they could occupy two plots. Of course, Leaetta said “yes.” The design of the site including a bench or monument to memorialize those buried there took on greater urgency. 

Leaetta’s brother, Merv, has been gifted with unique visualization and design skills and created a design concept that had the following elements:

·      A sculpture/monument about 5 feet tall that would rest on a square base positioned in the center of the area encompassing the 22 plots.
·      The base would have four surnames carved on its sides – Dunnette, Hough, Muschewske, and Hoeschler.
·      A bench seating two individuals would be placed at a corner of the area under a tree providing a place for visitors to sit, view the monument, and reflect on the lives of their loved ones buried there.

Who could we find to translate this design concept into a finished piece of art?

Leaetta consulted with Christine Podas-Larson, former leader of Public Art Saint Paul, and asked her - based on her extensive knowledge of local sculptors – for a recommendation of someone who could create the piece of art.  She gave Leaetta four names.  Leaetta contacted all four and selected Peter Morales.  Among the sculptures on Peter’s resume were two pieces located on the campus of St. Paul College that captures the theme – A Tree of Life.  Leaetta, Bob, and Merv viewed the two pieces and were impressed with Peter’s skill in creating a beautiful and striking work of art.

They arranged a meeting with Peter and and he listened intently as Merv communicated to him his design concept for the monument and bench that would be placed at the burial site.

Peter was pleased to accept the commission to design and sculpt the monument and bench and agreed to prepare drawings that would guide his work. Peter prepared several design alternatives and the one pictured in insert 1 and 2 is the one selected by Leaetta, Merv, and Bob. Linda reviewed the design and she, as well, liked it.

The last step – gaining the approval of Jack – was critical and a challenge given that he was near death.

Leaetta and Bob took the drawings to Linda and Jack’s home on Sunday, June 19th and reverently entered the library where Jack was lying in his bed with his eyes closed.  Linda quietly announced our presence and he seemed to awaken. Leaetta gently held his hand stroking it and his arm as she in a very tender and soothing manner told Jack how much she loved and respected him and how important he had been to her. Responding with subtle signs of recognition and appreciation, he appeared to be listening. Leaetta held Peter’s drawing of the monument where he could see it and carefully described its characteristics and where it would be placed. She asked him if he liked it and with a nod of his head, a slight smile, and with apparent effort responded with a barely audible “yes.”  Following a few more words of love and praise, Leaetta kissed Jack on his forehead, and we departed the library.

Leaetta and Bob later learned from Linda that we were two of the last, if not the last, individuals to speak with Jack and to be spoken to by Jack before he died three days later. In the days before the meeting, he had slept most of the time and seemed not to be interested in speaking with anyone. When told that Bob and Leaetta were going to visit him, he quietly indicated his approval. During the brief meeting he appeared to rally and attend to the task and people at hand. It seemed to Linda and us that he was pleased to see Leaetta and the monument design and that in so doing he had completed one of the last tasks in his process of dying.

Initiating the Sculpting Process

Given the go-ahead to proceed with the sculpture, Peter began his efforts to secure a block of granite that could be sculpted in accordance with Merv’s design concept as captured in the drawings prepared by Peter. After making several trips to the Cold Spring quarry in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Peter found what he was looking for and had it transported to his outdoor studio in Saint Paul. 

The block of granite weighing almost 14 tons was larger than the dimensions of the proposed monument and would require considerable preparation by Peter before he could begin sculpting the monument.

Peter began the laborious process of removing the excess granite. The first step in the process was to drill holes along the sides of the block of granite that would be fashioned into the monument. The next step involved insertion of wedges and shims into the holes and gradually pounding the shim down into the wedge placing pressure on the granite to separate. With enough pressure on the granite, pieces would separate.

(See photo of the wedge and shim process and positions of the block that have been sheared off.)

As of February 2023 Peter has made considerable progress in removing the excess granite. Given that the block of granite is in Peter’s outdoor studio, he will not be able to continue the removal process until he is able to work in warmer weather. He hopes to complete the monument by this summer. It will then be transported to Oakland Cemetery and placed on a foundation that has been prepared by Cemetery staff and contractors.

When that step has been completed family and friends will be invited to attend a dedication ceremony. Stay tuned for that announcement.

We are certain the monument will serve as a testament to the memory of Marv Dunnette and Jack Hoeschler and to those who will be buried there in the future. Visitors to the site will be calmed by the presence of the sculpture and encouraged to contemplate the “tree of life” as lived out by those buried there.

Notes on Hough Monument for Oakland Cemetery

by Peter M Morales, July 11, 2022

The monument is made up of three blocks of Charcoal Black granite from Cold Spring; a seating element made of a single block, and the monument itself made up of two blocks —a base and an obelisk.

The vertical sides of all the blocks as well as the top of the obelisk will have a natural broken or pitched surface with the sharp points knocked down. The four sides of the obelisk will each have a stylized tree of life carved in low relief (see illustrations). 

The top of the seating element and the exposed top of the monument base will be smoothed to a honed surface. The top corners of the seat and base will be rounded smooth.

The seating block should sit diagonally in the middle of the multiple lot site. Each side of the seating block will have a family name inscribed on it such that they face the graves of the corresponding family members. The size and font of the inscription has yet to be determined.

The monument should stand a short distance away (6 feet).