91569 Highway 202 Astoria, Oregon 97103
Greenwood Cemetery
Greenwood Cemetery At a Glance
Listen below to the one-minute radio spots Michael Leamy recorded in 2020, each featuring a unique 'backward glance' into the cemetery's history.
Greenwood Cemetery was established in 1891. It occupies a part of a donation land claim whose documentation was signed by President Ulysses S. Grant. The 30-acre cemetery lies on a knoll overlooking Young's Bay and offers a panoramic view of the valley and surrounding hills, including the mouth of the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean.
Greenwood is a historic pioneer cemetery, as are all Clatsop County cemeteries. It was founded during the waning years of the Rural Cemetery Movement, with its emphasis on the romance of rustication, and now the grounds offer an opportunity to enjoy bird watching, quiet strolls, and the chance to watch wildlife, including deer, elk, the occasional coyote, and the smaller creatures like rabbits and squirrels.
Jasmine Grows Up
Jasmine is a country girl. The first question we asked about her was, “Does she smile?” We got a photo that showed her sitting on a stack of bales. She was four months old then. Smile? See for yourself.
We brought her to the Oregon coast. She does not like rain. She’s a desert dog. But, like those who came before her, she likes people. We told her that her job was to be a therapy dog, and offer to be petted when someone was sad. She takes her job seriously.
Now five years old, she still smiles. If someone prefers cats over dogs, she understands, sighs and stays away. She won’t pester someone who is not a dog person, even though she is eager to add each newcomer to her flock. She has learned that chipmunks and rabbits are to be watched, not chased.
The Art of Farewell
The earthly journey was ending for beloved entertainer Burl Ives. Internationally acclaimed harp guitarist John Doan sat at his bedside, his fingers dancing over his 20-stringed instrument, which Ives' wife had termed 'magical.' Ives wanted more...always more, even when John had played through his entire repertoire.
John Doan plunged his empty bucket into the well of creativity, closed his eyes, and what poured forth became his signature song, Farewell.
Cemeteries mark the journey's end for those who rest there. Gravestone graphics and messages hint at the hopes, the lives, and personalities of those beneath the sod, either from their own point of view, or from that of those who remember them. Take a pictorial stroll through Greenwood, pondering the images, the words, and gravestone artistry, and the lives between the dates, as John Doan's Farewell echoes in your journey, stirs your thoughts...your very soul.