Submitted by Nancy Keller
As reported in articles from the Dawson County Review dated July 4, August 29 and September 5 of 1929, a “Handsome Mortuary Being Erected in Local Catholic Cemetery.” Big improvements are being made in the local Catholic cemetery. An entirely new and thoroughly modern cemetery has been laid out, the streets graded and sections and subsections curbed with cement curbing. The foundations of a handsome mortuary chapel are now laid and it will be finished within three weeks. It is being erected by John Sterhan and Jack Knoll, Ingvold Stubberud poured the concrete floor. The mortuary chapel is a solid cement structure, and will be used for services during the winter and in stormy weather, when it is well-nigh impossible to conduct services at the grave. When it is impossible to dig graves during cold winter months, bodies can be kept inside the chapel. This chapel will be large enough to hold, besides the altar, six to eight caskets. A beautiful Crucifixion group adorns the altar: it being the gift from Mrs. Catherine Feistamel in memory of her deceased husband. This mortuary chapel will be free to all denominations. Any donation no matter how small will be gratefully accepted. A mortuary chapel is something which has been sadly needed and will certainly beautify our cemetery, according to Father Webber. The old cemetery has also been rearranged and lots re-staked.
The new Mortuary Chapel was formally dedicated and blessed on Labor Day September 2, 1929. At 9:00 a.m. a Requiem Mass for the dead was be sung by the pastor, Rev. M J Webber and the sermon for the occasion was preached by Rev. C. J. Curtin of Sidney. The Sacred Heart Choir sang “Holy God We Praise Thy Name,” and “Mary Dear, Oh Pray for Me.” This was the first field Mass and services for the dead in the history of Glendive and will be an annual affair in the future. Rev. Curtin said that he had seen most of the cemeteries in Montana, including that in Great Falls, but has never seen a finer and more beautiful one than that here in Glendive.
Additional information on the cemetery and the chapel is documented in the 100th Anniversary (1886-1986) book for Sacred Heart Church. St. Juliana Church at the corner of Sergeant Ave did not accommodate the congregation anymore, so Rev. Michael J. Webber, who was pastor in Glendive (1921-1930), started a search for property to build a new Catholic Church. The land on the corner of Meade and Benham was purchased and the church was completed for Palm Sunday 1926. The first recorded deed for the cemetery in the Clerk and Recorder’s office in Dawson County was dated January 19, 1898, by the Northwestern Improvement Co. (Northern Pacific Railroad), with the land deeded to Dawson County. Cemetery rules and regulations were established in 1914. Father Webber found papers on the cemetery (the original deed had never been filed) when the move was made from the old church to the present one, Rev. Webber claimed only the Catholic section and the area beyond it. When new sections were needed in the Catholic part of the cemetery, Father Webber laid out the area with the help of some of the parishioners, and he also helped put in the curbs and dividers of the eight grave plots. He would roll up his trouser legs, put on an old straw hat and work harder than anyone else. Father Webber also took care of the lawns and flowers at the church and rectory. He did not get his wish to be buried next to the Chapel, as he was transferred to another parish. In 1958, the Catholic cemetery, along with all the burial records, was turned over to Dawson County.
After years of disuse in the 1970’s and into the 1980’s, two women, Genevieve Atwell and Virginia Kurtz, decided it was time to put the Chapel back into use. Spearheading a drive to raise money, they collected about $1000, which was used to have the little Chapel cleaned, repaired, painted and carpeted. Fresh and new looking, it was ready for Rededication Mass on Memorial Day, 1985. About 100 parishioners stood quietly outside and around the Chapel as Father Joe Diekhans, at an altar facing the congregation, celebrated the Mass. The original statue, a gift from Katie Feistamel, of the Blessed Mother, holding the body of her Son, with a large crucifix above it, rests on the permanent altar. The day began with scudding white clouds against the sky; when the Mass was over, a mist, and then a soft rain began to fall as people moved away. To those who were there, it seemed like a benediction.
In 2003 George and Mary Fager completed improvement to the chapel as a memorial to Mary’s parents, Tony and Rose Dinardi, but in 2004 the chapel was vandalized. George and Mary led an effort to raise the funds to fix the damaged windows, doors and interior.
A severe thunderstorm with winds up to 120mph hit Glendive on July 27, 2015, damaging buildings and electrical towers leaving most of the town without power for two days. There were no reports of injuries even though several fallen trees and branches damaged buildings, homes and vehicles. It was found that a branch came down on the Chapel roof during this storm, although there was no major damage, some of the parishioners felt it was time again to renovate the Chapel. Deacon Bob Ackerman agreed to do the work if we could raise the funds. Parish members and friends of the parish raised over $4500. The local Rotary Club donated $500 and applied for a grant on our behalf from the Montana History Foundation for an additional $1500, which was awarded. The walls were textured/painted, crown molding was added and ceramic tile laid over the cement floor. A new red door and metal roof finished the outside renovation. The Chapel was rededicated on Memorial Day, May 30, 2016, 9:00 a.m. Mass was celebrated by Father Francis Schreiber and Deacon Bob Ackerman. We hope this chapel is enjoyed by many to stop for a minute to pray for loved ones and all who rest in peace at the cemetery.
The Chapel was rededicated on Memorial Day, May 30, 2016 9am mass was celebrated by Fr. Francis Schreiber and Deacon Bob Ackerman.
We hope this chapel is enjoyed by many
To stop for a minute to pray for loved ones and
all who rest in peace at the cemetery.
Please help us continue
