Construction begins for chapel at St. Mary Cemetery

The St. Mary Cemetery in Cape Girardeau will soon have a new addition. The board has initiated the construction of a chapel in the cemetery.

"It is something that we need mainly to have services in to get out of the weather," treasurer Bob Stricker said.

President Joe Kirchdoerfer said that in times of bad weather, services will be held in the chapel and then the casket will be placed in the ground.

According to Stricker, construction of the chapel began two weeks ago and is expected to be complete in six to eight weeks. He said the board began discussing the project about two years ago and entered into the planning phase about a year ago.

"It has been on ongoing thing for quite some time," Kirchdoerfer said.

Kirchdoerfer said Columbia Construction Corp. is in charge of the project and it has already begun putting in the concrete walls.

"It will also be good for the congregation," Kirchdoerfer said.

Stricker said the tents that are currently used for funerals in the cemetery will only hold five chairs. However, the chapel will hold 50 chairs.

"It is more of a thing of convenience," Stricker said. "We haven't discussed whether to have all services in there, but it may come to that."

The board has also discussed the addition of a standing columbarium inside the chapel. A columbarium is used to store cinerary urns. Stricker said the structure will have a total of 20 spaces for storing these urns.

"We will start with one and see how it goes," Stricker said.

ajones@semissourian.com

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