Family Raises Concerns Over Cleanup Conditions at City-Owned Gypsum Hill Cemetery Ahead of Veteran’s Burial

Salina311 spoke with Sabrina Lynette, who said her family became concerned about the condition of Gypsum Hill Cemetery after her father passed away Friday night and was scheduled to be buried there Thursday.

Gypsum Hill Cemetery is owned and operated by the City of Salina, according to the city’s cemetery rules and regulations. The cemetery is located at 2020 E. Iron Avenue and is operated through the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.

According to Lynette, her father served two active-duty tours in Vietnam and retired from the United States Air Force after 20 years of service. She said the family was preparing for military honors at the cemetery when they received a message from the mortuary raising concerns about the condition of the cemetery grounds following recent storm damage.

Lynette said she went to Gypsum Hill Cemetery to see the conditions for herself and then spoke with the cemetery manager about options for holding her father’s military honors burial.

During that conversation, Lynette said she was told that cleanup efforts were ongoing but that the City of Salina had not approved additional funding for outside cleanup assistance at that time. She also said she was told a bid had been submitted for cleanup work and tree disposal, which she described as being below $100,000.

According to Lynette, the bid had not been accepted by the city at the time of her conversation.

The condition of the cemetery has become a concern for families with loved ones buried there. Lynette said storm debris, downed trees, damaged headstones, and blocked gravesites have left parts of the cemetery in poor condition at a time when families are trying to honor those buried there.

“My father who passed away on Friday will be buried up at Gypsum Hill on Thursday,” Lynette wrote in a public post. “He served two tours of active duty in the Vietnam War and retired from the United States Air Force after 20 years of service.”

Lynette said she asked whether she could make Salina residents aware of the situation and said she was encouraged to do so. Her post also compared the cemetery cleanup concerns to the rapid cleanup efforts at Oakdale Park ahead of the Smoky Hill River Festival, questioning why similar urgency could not be directed toward Gypsum Hill Cemetery.

Lynette also said she has been made aware that a church plans to volunteer with cleanup efforts. She is asking residents who are able to help to contact Gypsum Hill Cemetery directly.

The issue comes as Salina continues to recover from storm damage across the community, with cleanup efforts affecting city property, neighborhoods, parks, streets, and public spaces. For families with loved ones at Gypsum Hill Cemetery, the damage is not only a cleanup issue but also a deeply personal one.

Those who are able to assist with cleanup efforts are encouraged to contact Gypsum Hill Cemetery directly.

Gypsum Hill Cemetery phone number:

(785) 826-7390

Office hours are listed as Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the City of Salina’s official cemetery page.