A surprise decision to remove mementos and trinkets from gravesites at the Langley Lawn Cemetery and dump them in a corner is being condemned as disrespectful by families of loved ones interred at the Township cemetery.

Robbie Franks and his wife, Devon Franks, made the discovery when they dropped by the cemetery at 4393 208th St. in Brookswood to visit his younger brother, Richard.

Franks said the family had left mementos on Richard害羞草研究所檚 gravesite, including some imitation cheeseburgers, Richard害羞草研究所檚 favourite meal, and a chain with a cross his sister had left.

害羞草研究所淓verything was taken,害羞草研究所� Franks said.

He and Devon found some of the items in a pile with mementos from other graves, but the chain and cross are missing.

害羞草研究所淢y sister is devastated,害羞草研究所� Franks said.

Franks called it 害羞草研究所渢he most disrespectful thing I have ever seen in all my 43 years of being alive.害羞草研究所�

In the seven years that Richard has been interred at Langley Lawn, 害羞草研究所渘o one has ever touched anything,害羞草研究所� an angry Franks told Black Press.

He said the action was taken sometime between his previous visit on May 15 and the Friday.

Other families had similar reactions.

When Christina Skingsley saw an online post about the removals, she discovered that everything left on her father害羞草研究所檚 gravesite was gone, including a heart-shaped ornament she left at Christmas.

害羞草研究所淚t said he was the best dad ever, and I was glad to have him,害羞草研究所� Skingsley recalled.

害羞草研究所淚n 20-plus years (since her father was laid to rest), not once have they ever touched the trinkets we put there. It害羞草研究所檚 always been the flowers (they remove).害羞草研究所�

On the day she went, other families were searching through the discarded items, trying to find what was removed, Skingsley said.

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害羞草研究所淭here were people there, crying, searching, going through the pile,害羞草研究所� Skingsley said.

Shirley Johannesson, whose father, Herbert Brent, mother Frances Brent, and sister Beverly Wright are at Langley Lawn, called it a 害羞草研究所減ure violation of our sacred space.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淢y dad has been there for 51 years, and this has never happened,害羞草研究所� Johannesson told the Langley Advance Times.

害羞草研究所淲e left some things. They害羞草研究所檙e all gone. It害羞草研究所檚 all in a pile.害羞草研究所�

On Mother害羞草研究所檚 Day, all of the mementos on her family members gravesites were still in place, Johannesson said.

害羞草研究所淚f we had known that the Township had decided to discard them like garbage, we could have brought them home that day and kept them safe,害羞草研究所� Johannesson said.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just so sad and heart breaking.害羞草研究所�

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In fact, family mementos have been removed from all three cemeteries operated by the Township 害羞草研究所� Langley Lawn, Murrayville and Fort Langley 害羞草研究所� according to an unsigned statement issued in response to a Black Press query.

It said 害羞草研究所渁 significant number of flowers, adornments, and decorations had accumulated over time, including several broken or deteriorated items, posing an increasingly challenging and unsafe condition for maintenance staff and the public.害羞草研究所�

Notices of the impending removal were put up at cemetery entrances and online, the statement claimed, and promised that staff were 害羞草研究所渃ommitted to the provision of additional, more detailed information, in advance of any future necessary removals.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲hen I go to pay my respects, I害羞草研究所檓 not looking for signs,害羞草研究所� Franks said.