A Relatively Peaceful Job
vBy Reilly Biel
Chris Bornitz has the typical look of a person that spends most
of their time working outdoors — tanned arms, casual work clothes,
scuffed boots, baseball cap and sunglasses. This is his usual attire when
tending to the grounds of the Yankton Cemetery.
Having been the cemetery sexton for 21 years now, Bornitz knows
the ins and outs of the approximately 40 acres of burial land like
the back of his hand. It’s here that he spends a majority of his time
mowing, weeding and trimming the foliage that encompasses the
property.
He also has assistance from two state trustees from the Mike Durfee
State Prison.
When not at the cemetery, Bornitz assists Parks & Recreation with
“odds and ends” jobs.
Working Among The Dead
For the most part, Bornitz finds his job relatively peaceful.
On a typical day, he comes to the cemetery at 7 a.m. and spends a
few hours mowing before moving on to any other groundwork that
needs to be done. He finishes his work day around 3 p.m.
In addition to the
groundwork, he is responsible
for selling plots and digging
graves.
He said that the former is the
most difficult part of his job,
particularly when meeting with
families who have lost a loved
one unexpectedly.
Digging the graves presents
its own challenges, which can
vary depending on the season.
In the winter months, snow
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is the main obstacle Bornitz and his helpers have to overcome. Just
as much of their time is spent mowing in the summer months, they
spend hours upon hours shoveling snow off the cemetery roads and
removing snow for funeral processions and to dig graves.
Bornitz said he spends most of that season helping Parks &
Recreation with their projects.
An all-season concern is what will happen if a grave collapses.
Bornitz explained that prior to the mid-1950s, wood was used to line
a grave before concrete. When the wooden vault gives in, the ground
above it collapses. According to Bornitz, the collapse can be prompted
by a mower being ridden over the grave’s plot. Fortunately, no one has
ever been harmed by it.
Those wishing to hear stories of supernatural occurrences from
Bornitz would be disappointed. The closest to a spooky moment
he’s gotten has been the few times he’s monitored the cemetery on
Halloween night.
“It does make you feel uneasy sitting out there in the dark,” he
admitted.
Some of the headstones contributed to that creepiness by being very
reflective, to the point where light bounces off several of them.
“They’re almost like mirrors, they’re polished so nicely,” Bornitz
remarked.
Other than that, the only source of strangeness comes from those
who like to do morbid things on cemetery grounds. Bornitz has found
burnt candles and, one time, a pigeon with its head cut off.
Due to the grounds not having any electricity, security cameras are
unlikely to happen, Bornitz said.
Thinking Of The Living
While he may spend his time working among those that have
passed, Bornitz regularly interacts with the cemetery’s many visitors,
remarking that it’s one of his favorite parts of the job.
“You get to hear fascinating stories about how so and so got here,
what brought them to Yankton and what they did once they were here,”
he said.
However, not all of his interactions with the public are pleasant.
He’s been on the receiving end of complaints about the state of the
grass (which is watered by rain only) and the theft of objects left by
headstones.
“I’ve had people tell me about seeing little kids pulling a wagon
through the cemetery and taking items like flowers from graves,” he
said.
He advises people not to set anything on graves that is valuable,
personally or financially, as it may either get stolen or broken.
When not working on grounds upkeep, Bornitz likes to work on
projects that spruce up the area. One such project located on the
western side of the cemetery is a fountain surrounded by flowers and
a couple benches. Bornitz said he
added it because it’s a nice feature
among the various headstones.
It shows how much he cares
about making the cemetery look
good.
“It’s nice, quiet and peaceful (out
here),” he said. “I like my job.” n