Families Upset After Calvary Cemetery Removes Grave Decorations

Families with loved ones buried at Calvary Cemetery in Utica are voicing frustration after cemetery crews removed artificial flowers, solar lights, flags and other decorations from gravesites as part of a spring cleanup ahead of Memorial Day.

Photos shared online show piles of decorations stacked behind the cemetery office, including flower arrangements and personal memorial items that some families say had only recently been placed on graves for Mother’s Day weekend.

A sign posted at the cemetery warned visitors that all artificial items would be removed after April 30. The notice also stated that shepherd’s hooks, borders and items containing glass are prohibited under cemetery rules.

Even so, the cleanup sparked outrage across social media, with some families saying they were blindsided by how aggressively the removals were carried out.

Several residents reached out to WIBX's Keeler Show on Monday morning to voice their displeasure, just a few days before Memorial Day weekend.

Utica resident Doreen Carcone posted photos of the discarded decorations on Facebook and criticized cemetery management over the decision.

“These are the personal items removed from gravestones at Calvary Cemetery,” Carcone wrote. “People have spent thousands of dollars and countless hours beautifying and personalizing their loved ones memorial spaces and all the hard work has been reduced to a careless, thoughtless, disgraceful pile of rubbish behind the main office at Calvary.”

Her post quickly drew reactions from other families who said they were upset to learn decorations placed at gravesites just days earlier had already been removed.

Some commenters defended the cemetery, pointing out that many cemeteries enforce seasonal decoration policies so crews can mow and maintain the grounds before the busy Memorial Day season. Others said the issue was less about the rules themselves and more about the way sentimental items appeared to be tossed aside in a large pile.

Several people online said they understood the need for cleanup but believed families should have been given more time after Mother’s Day before decorations were removed.

Calvary Cemetery has maintained rules for years limiting certain decorations and artificial items on gravesites, policies that are fairly common at cemeteries throughout New York State. Still, for many families, the emotional impact of seeing personal memorials discarded all at once struck a nerve.

As of Tuesday, Calvary Cemetery had not publicly responded to the complaints circulating online. WIBX has reached out and is awaiting a response.