Woodlawn Cemetery- Est. 1839 

Misson Statement	Cemetery Board	History
Rules and Regulations	General Information	Contact Us

 
 

Hours: Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (517) 589-9555 Ron Bogart Cemetery Sexton Ken Modert Cemetery Maintenance  Patti Wade Cemetery Treasurer  "I like that ancient-Saxon phrase which calls  The burial-ground, God’s Acre: It is just,  It consecrates each grave within its walls  And breathes a benison o’er the sleeping dust"  -Longfellow

Misson Statement

It is the mission of the Cemetery Board to make Woodlawn Cemetery a quiet, beautiful resting place for the deceased, as well as keeping abreast with modern cemetery improvements, proper mode of burial and respectful observance of the sacredness of this place. 

Woodlawn Cemetery Board 

Judy Vickers, Township Representative 
JoAnn Fogg, Secretary, Member-at-large 
Shelly Motes, City Council Representative 

History

The ground now known as Woodlawn Cemetery was purchased in several different parcels. In 1836, D.F. Dwight acquired land from the State land office at Bronson, of which Sec. 21 was a part and wherein is located Woodlawn cemetery. On June 25, 1839, D.F. Dwight conveyed to the Township of Leslie one and six tenths acres of land for cemetery purposes, consideration being $100.00. On February 21, 1867, Edwin W. Shaw and Amanda B. Shaw transferred to the Township of Leslie the second parcel of land for the consideration of $40.00.  This deed was drawn by the late J.S. Torrey and has this clause. “Amanda B. Shaw, wife of Edwin B. Shaw, on a private examination by me, separate and apart from her husband, acknowledged that she executed the same freely and without fear of, or compulsion from anyone.” Again on the 21st of May, 1875, Ogden E. Edwards and Jane Edwards, his wife, sold the Township of Leslie, the third parcel for the sum of $1,200.00, the deed being executed by Jas. Blackmore, a Notary public at that time.This comprises the cemetery land east of Church Street.On September 17, 1913, Ella Ackly VanAlstine sold to the Township the West six acres, and again on the 23rd day of August, 1927, the last parcel of land consisting of 10.95 acres was purchased from Mrs. VanAlstine, making in all about 35 acres in the cemetery. Little is known about the early burials as no records of burials were kept. Byron Woodworth, a grandson of Elijah Woodworth, Leslie’s first resident, told once of going with his father when a small boy to the “graveyard” to a burial. It was a cold winter day and the corpse was carried on a home made sled drawn by a yoke of oxen.There was just a winding trail through the woods to a little opening and the burial was made by neighbors.Neighbors also performed the duties of Funeral Director. Woodlawn Cemetery is located at the north limits of the City of Leslie and was chosen as a site for a cemetery because of its natural beauty.Its level acres, with a gentle slope to the south and east, lends itself admirably to landscape harmony and every effort has been made to beautify these grounds so solemnly consecrated to the burial of the dead. 

In 1968 the Village of Leslie became a City and, therefore, the Township Cemetery had to be reorganized.The new Woodlawn Cemetery Board is composed of one member from each unit of government with a third member chosen alternately by the City/Township with each term being for three years. 

We look forward to your cooperation to create an environment of peace and solitude in respect to our deceased loved ones.

General Information

Persons wishing information regarding lots may contact the Sexton at the Cemetery or by telephone. Purchasers of lots acquire the right and privilege to bury the dead along with the construction of memorials subject to the conditions, rules, and regulations now in force, or which may hereinafter be enacted by the Board. 

Rules and Regulations

1. All work upon lots shall be done under the direction of the Sexton and (except the setting of monumental work) by cemetery personnel. 
2. When instructions for opening a grave are indefinite or for any reason the grave cannot be opened in the location specified, the Sexton will order it opened at such location on the lot as may seem best under the circumstances. Such action is necessary in order to avoid delaying funerals. 
3. To avoid any misunderstanding the owner or the owner’s representative shall call and request the grave to be opened. The Cemetery Board cannot be held responsible for mistakes when orders are given by telephone. 
4. The Sexton cannot be held responsible for having a grave prepared in time for funerals unless twenty four (24) hours notice has been received.  All graves shall be opened and closed by employees of the Cemetery under the direction of the Sexton.  The charge for opening a grave shall be paid before burial. 
5. Funeral Directors making arrangements for burials will be held responsible for charges if parties fail to pay.  Lots can not be resold   except by transfer back to the Cemetery for original purchase price. All telephone orders for graves must be made to the Sexton’s office.  Phone number 517-589-9555. 
6. As soon as flowers, wreaths, emblems, etc., used at funerals, or placed upon graves at other times becomes unsightly and faded, they shall be removed and no responsibility will be assumed. 
7. No one except an employee of the Cemetery will be allowed to disturb the sod on any lot or grave except as provided for in Rule #9 below.  Violation of this rule will be followed by the removal of plants and sodding to the grave level.  The grade of all lots shall conform to the contour of the section on which they are suited. 
8. One urn or one flower bed (1 ft. X length of marker or monument) will be permitted on a lot, providing it shall abut or be in between markers. Also, no rose bushes or thorn bearing bushes shall be permitted.  Artificial wreaths, blankets or flowers may be placed on lots November 1 to March 1 and if not removed by lot owner by March 1, the Cemetery personnel will remove. 
9. The grade of all lots shall conform to the contour of the section on which they are suited. 
10. The planting of trees and shrubs must be done only with the approval and under the direction of the Sexton. 
11. If any tree, shrub or plant situated within a lot becomes unsightly, dangerous or detrimental, the Cemetery personnel shall have the right to remove the same or such parts thereof as may be deemed necessary. 
12. No roping, curbing, fencing, hedging, borders, or enclosures of any kind are allowed on any lot.  No edging, brick walks, landscape bricks or blocks, aluminum stripping, marble chips, stones, cinders, tile, terra cotta, sand, cement, gravel, wood or wood chips, decorative flags, toys, statues, personal items, etc., are allowed on any lot.  No lot shall hereafter be set out or enclosed by any so-called fence, coping, hedge or flower border, wood or metal trellises.  Wire and screens, and designs of any descriptions, rusty, unpainted or broken benches, seats, and vases, iron hooks from which baskets, bowls or flower pots are suspended, and deemed unsightly will be removed. The Cemetery management reserves the right to remove any of the above if so erected, planted, placed or installed. 
13. The Woodlawn Cemetery Board discourages funerals on Saturdays, Sundays and federally recognized holidays.   If a funeral is requested for a Saturday, Sunday or a Holiday, an additional fee will assessed. 
14. As a protection to all lot owners, and for general welfare of the cemetery, the management reserves the right to excavate for and build all foundations, also determine the grade and location of monuments.  All stonework shall be on cement foundation.  All expenses incurred in setting or repairing such markers must be borne by the lot owner. 
15. Granite is the only kind of stone recommended for monuments and markers. 
16. All extra lot markers shall be set by employees of the Cemetery at a reasonable charge and level with the lawn. 
17. To guard and conserve the rights and interest of all lot owners, these rules and regulations are established. The statutes of the State have made the willful violation of them a very serious offense. 
18. These rules and regulations have been compiled and adopted by the Cemetery Board and are subject to change. 
19. The Board will take every reasonable precaution to protect all private property of lot and grave owners in the cemetery from loss or damage, but it distinctly disclaims all responsibility for loss or damage from causes beyond its reasonable control and especially from the acts of thieves, vandals, rioters and malicious mischief makers. 

There are many curves and a few sharp turns which may add much to the beauty of Woodlawn.  Drive carefully and avoid accidents and the cutting of terrace or lawn edge.  Where there are a few drives that are narrow, please park your car at intersections which will mean only a few more steps to your lot.  Your cooperation with us in this matter will be greatly appreciated by the management.  Recreational vehicles shall be prohibited across any lots. 

The Board may accept, in trust, funds which may be tendered by lot owners, or left by will, the income to be devoted to the care or repair of the lot or monument, or to insure the special planting of flowers, filling and care of vases, etc. 
 Persons purchasing lots will have the ground secured to them, their families and heirs, for burial place forever, and for such other persons as they may choose to admit, provided such admission is free of charge and without compensation, but owners cannot resell  or transfer their lots to any person whatever without the consent of the Board. 

1. Don’t take flowers, perpetual wreaths, vases, flower holders, etc. from your neighbor’s lot. 
2. Don’t throw your rubbish on your neighbor’s lot or in drives or tuck into shrubs, but place in receivers placed at convenient distances in the cemetery. 
3. Don’t cut holes in sod and place flower pots therein for workmen to handle when moving.  Glass cans, tin cans or bottles are not allowed and shall be removed. Don’t set potted plants individually.