A LOOK BACK IN HISTORY:
CIRI AMONG THOSE HONORED A CEMETARY CEREMONY

It was a perfect, sunny fall day Sept. 10 at the Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery when major sponsors of a project to mark unmarked graves at the cemetery gathered to lay flowers on the graves of two infants buried together.

John Bagoy, the man responsible for the project, CIRI and other sponsors were all honored in the ceremony at the cemetery. "As a result of John's tireless efforts, nearly 3,000 unmarked graves in this cemetery have been identified," CIRI President and CEO Carl Marrs said at the ceremony. "A number of these graves are those of Alaska Natives who died in Anchorage far away from their homes. The granite markers being installed are a symbol of the dignity we believe each person buried here deserves. And they will also ensure that we don't forget."

  The grave of Gladys Miller and Thomas Katangnazok, both of whom were born and died in 1963, was selected to symbolize all of the unmarked graves. In years past, two or more persons were sometimes placed in the same grave.

The "Restoring Buried History" Project was developed by Bagoy, who worked with the Cook Inlet Historical Society, Ed Rasmuson and National Bank of Alaska/Wells Fargo, CIRI, the Municipality of Anchorage and others in an effort to place granite markers on the 3,000 unmarked graves. About a third of those graves are for Alaska Natives and some date back to the cemetery's earliest beginnings in 1915.

Jim Barnett, historical society president, said the project is very important, in part because the cemetery is a reflection of the community. Anchorage Mayor George Wuerch praised Bagoy's efforts and said it was impressive that Bagoy was "not one to quit." The final pricetag for the restoration project, which may be completed in the next three or four years, may be as high as $250,000, a substantial portion of which is being donated by Rasmuson. The municipality's contribution is also substantial and includes installing the markers, as well as some of the other restoration work on the graves.

Marrs said he was proud of the fact that CIRI was one of the major sponsors. "What's really inspiring to me, though, is that this project crosses all economic, racial and social lines. The message here today that all of us are sending is that when it comes to respect and honor we must blind ourselves to these artificial lines. If we can truly open our eyes, as John Bagoy has done, we see the dignity of every single human being," he said.

He said he was touched that the grave of two infants buried together was chosen to symbolize the entire project. "Their deaths represent the tragedy of an unfulfilled promise. By remembering the smallest among us, we can experience the full depth of our grief."

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