Tombstone Tuesday: William and Martha Lane

My grandparents, William Bowman Lane and Martha Ann Pierce Lane, are buried in Hurst Cemetery in my hometown of Middlesboro, Kentucky.  My mom, Betty Jewel Lane, the focus of my first couple of blog posts, was their youngest child.

Lane Family Tombstone, 2004

My grandmother died of a massive stroke in 1954, and was the first to be buried in this family plot.  My grandfather died in 1964 and was buried beside his wife of more than 50 years.

Martha Ann Lane's Headstone

My grandmother was seventy years old when she passed away.  Her children chose to have a verse from the 23rd Psalm (Granny's favorite) inscribed on her headstone:  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.

William B. Lane's Headstone

I'm not exactly sure how old my grandfather was when he died, but I'm fairly certain the birth date on his headstone is incorrect.  My Papaw, you see, was so eager to be like his big brother, Andy, and join the Army, that he lied about his age when he signed up for service.  He served proudly in the Spanish American War, and he would have been so pleased with his army-issued headstone.

To find out more about Hurst Cemetery, go to http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=74540.  Hurst Cemetery is located in front of and adjacent to the larger Middlesboro Cemetery.