A cemetery is a place where family and friends can visit and find comfort and consolation. A loved one’s resting place was anything but that last week.

Sheriff Jeff Lawless said two juveniles were arrested Friday, after they allegedly knocked over 26 headstones, and caused other damage at the Rome-Proctorville Cemetery.

Ron Jenkins, cemetery caretaker, said “From what I saw, they started in the garden area, tearing up and destroying all of the flood lights, and then they went straight out from there grabbing people’s flowers and vases, throwing them everywhere, and then began knocking down headstones throughout the cemetery.”

To the alleged vandals: Why would you do this? You showed the ultimate form of disrespect to the deceased and their families. Shame on you.

This is the last thing that any cemetery needs to deal with. Were you bored? Do you not have enough to do?

So many rural cemeteries struggle with maintenance and care. We applaud caretakers and volunteers who maintain these final resting places of our loved ones. It takes a lot to try and keep up with mowing and trimming.

We would like to see these vandals, as a portion of the restitution and community service they deserve, spend time working at area cemeteries or  graveyards.

Maybe this will help with the boredom they must have felt to do such a stupid and thoughtless act.