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PLOTS – The Farinha family’s issues regarding the Lincoln Cemetery have caught the attention of Sacramento’s CBS TV station. Channel 13 news went out to the gravesite, interviewed cemetery manager Sandra Calise and has spoken with the family. The problem stems from the transfer of ownership from the Catholic Church to Placer County for the cemetery back in 1954. Frank Farinha passed away in 1947 and a double headstone was placed over his grave at the time, with the right side blank (for those from the old country, it was considered taboo to put the name of a living person on a headstone prior to his or her passing). When his wife Mary passed away at 105 on Jan. 25 of this year, the family naturally assumed there was a place reserved for their mom.
Calise said the family doesn’t have a plot next to Frank, despite the
double headstone. As the cemetery manager told me, “Well, there was no
name on it.” According to her, the plot next to Frank was sold in 1948,
before it was taken over by the Lincoln Cemetery. According to the
family, that’s not true. They claim their dad’s headstone was moved. It
used to lay flat on the ground and featured a photo of Frank. Years of
lawn mowing damaged the headstone and the family requested that it be
raised. According to Terry Farinha (daughter of Frank and Mary), their
request was denied until just a couple of years ago, when it was raised
and shifted into a different location. Then, last year, a new gravesite
was placed next to their dad. When Mary died, there was no room for her
next to Frank and the family was forced to bury mom in Auburn. The
Lincoln Cemetery manager said the family should have proof of plot
ownership, such as a receipt. But, according to Frank Espinoza, the
assistant director of the Cemetery District of the Archdiocese of
Northern California, the church didn’t keep the best records. He told
me that he’s had to walk cemeteries to visually verify plots and grave
markers since the record keeping was so shabby and was usually handled
by local parish volunteers. But, back to the family’s issues. Terry
said the side-by-side plots were purchased more than 60 years ago and a
double headstone was placed over it. “You don’t place a double
headstone over a single plot,” Terry said. The manager said she has no
records to indicate Mary ever had a plot in the cemetery and “(Mary’s)
name wasn’t on the headstone.” When asked about the
I’m-still-alive-and-kickin’-so-don’t-put-my-name-on-a-headstone
superstition, the manager said, “I don’t know anything about that.” Oh
boy. I can vouch that even folks from Oklahoma usually don’t put names
on headstones until the person has shuffled off this mortal coil.
Another interesting point? I asked a historian familiar with Placer
County to take a look at the map Calise gave me. (Take a look yourself,
that’s a copy of the map in this week’s column). She claims it’s the
only record of who owns which plots and was given to the Lincoln
Cemetery during the 1954 transfer of ownership. There is an odd symbol
marked near the burial site of Mr. Farinha. The numbering system used
by the cemetery to keep track of the plots appears to have been added
after the symbol, according to my source. Calise and Espinoza said they
have no idea what the symbol means.
JOE’S IN AUBURN? – Ah, spring must be in the air because once again,
the Trader Joe’s rumor has returned. But, this time, those seeking to
lure the store to Auburn are resorting to the Internet and the Trader
Joe’s website. Yes, you can stop by their website and request a Trader
Joe’s in your neighborhood, but then again, so can someone in Oklahoma,
Alaska or even Siberia for that matter. Will this store eventually open
in Auburn? Probably, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. The organization
lists five California locations (Redding, Chino Hills, Claremont,
Larkspur and Woodland Hills) getting stores in the near future and
Auburn isn’t one of them.
Don Chaddock is the executive editor of the Sentinel. His column,
“Biscuits & Gravy,” publishes weekly. He may be reached at
530-823-2463 or via e-mail at
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