Cemetery History Group Honored
The 2022 Board of Historic Fairview Cemetery
The Board of Historic Fairview Cemetery is being recognized by Albuquerque Business First‘s 2022 Philanthropy Awards for Best Boards.
The award ceremony and summit will take place on Thursday, March 10, at Sandia Golf Club, 30 Rainbow Road NE, Albuquerque. Here is information that helped Historic Fairview Cemetery earn this recognition.
What is the mission of your nonprofit?
To preserve and maintain the Historic Fairview Cemetery and share the history of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the United States through the lives of the individuals buried there.
What was the nonprofit’s biggest success of 2021?
The Memorial Day tours of the cemetery on May 31, 2021 were a huge success. The four scheduled tours sold out, ticket sales raised more than $3,000, press coverage was plentiful and positive, resulting in an additional $6,000 in donations from family funds.
The tour introduced visitors to local notables in commerce, politics, and military conflicts. Many visitors commented that they didn’t know about the cemetery and its historic significance before taking the tour. This event was nominated for the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association’s KIP Award for outstanding event.
The Board also raised additional funds in 2021 outside of the Memorial Day event totaling $9,000. Some of the funds raised in 2021 were spent on re-setting headstones, repairing breached walls, creating cemetery signage and installing road signs to facilitate navigation of the grounds.
The cemetery also received major press coverage in the Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque The Magazine, New Mexico Magazine, and American Cemetery and Cremation (trade magazine). The Daughters of the American Revolution Lew Wallace Chapter honored HFC President Gail Rubin with their award for Excellence in Historic Preservation.
What is the nonprofit’s biggest goal for 2022?
We are applying for grants in the hopes of raising $100,000 or more to improve and landscape the grounds, continue to re-set fallen markers, place more road signs and add interpretative signage to tell the history associated with the cemetery, and build partnerships and visibility within the community. We will continue to hold our volunteer clean up days on the first Saturday of the month and hope to add more community clean up days, as we did with the Greater Albuquerque Association of REALTORS® in October, 2021.
The current Board members for Historic Fairview Cemetery:
Gail Rubin, President: A pioneering death educator, award-winning author and speaker, as well as a public relations professional and 2019 Women of Influence Award winner.
Patricia Milner, Vice President: Financial services executive with ambition and determination to preserve the historic value of the cemetery and a quest to promulgate this history to the general public, especially our youth.
Janet Saiers, Treasurer: A resident of Albuquerque since 1955, she is president of the Albuquerque Historical Society and past president of the Historical Society of New Mexico.
Sara Sather, Secretary: She and her husband Ed are Directors and Lead Investigators of the Duke City Paranormal Research Society, they were both history majors in college and have a passion for researching history connected with the cemetery and preserving the veterans areas of the cemetery.
Ed Sather: Director and Lead Investigator of the Duke City Paranormal Research Society with his wife Sara, they were both history majors in college and have a passion for researching history connected with the cemetery and preserving the veterans areas of the cemetery.
Claude Valles: Has been a neighbor of the HFC for decades and got involved to get to know it better.
Pamela Steibler: A resident of Albuquerque since 1971, she is a retired science teacher, small business owner, and genealogy researcher.
Lisa Roberts: An expert in xeriscaping and natural gardening, she has been interested in history and historical cemeteries since childhood. She became interested in HFC after the 2021 Memorial Day tours and sees educational opportunities for youth through the cemetery.
Chris Nolan: The newest member of the Board, Chris brings expertise in uncovering the history of graveyards in Florida and restoring/maintaining old cemeteries.
Learn more about Historic Fairview Cemetery at www.HistoricFairviewCemeteryABQ.org.