Paulette Bullinger, Dakota Conference Women’s Ministry leader and cemetery liaison, had the opportunity to work with Wesley Tschetter, a kind gentleman from South Dakota who wanted to preserve a Seventh-day Adventist cemetery located on his property. Although not a member of the Adventist faith, he knew much of the history of those who attended the Westford Church, now gone and buried under a cornfield on his property. He remembered stories of the people and did not want to see the small cemetery with about 10 plots plowed under. Tschetter paid for the cemetery site to be covered with concrete, the remaining stone burial marker set in place, as well as for the stones that would hold a chain fence around the perimeter. The Dakota Conference added the metal sign.
At Mr. Tschetter’s request a re-dedication ceremony for the site was held in August. Following services at the Mitchell Seventh-day Adventist Church, a group of church members and Pastor David Moench drove out to the site. There Bullinger and the church group met with Tschetter, his family and friends, as well as members of the Hutterite colony—neighbors who had worked on the cement cover.
Pastor Moench gave a prayer, Bullinger gave a brief explanation of the importance of preserving Adventist heritage, and Tschetter gave a detailed history of the area as well as shared what he knew of these early Adventists buried at the location. The dedication ended with stories shared of the area’s history, and several photos being taken. Following the dedication, Tschetter’s son, an attorney, handed Bullinger the deed to the cemetery to take to the Dakota Conference office. What an amazing gift by one very generous man!
Note: Former Dakota Conference communication director, Jacquie Biloff, did extensive work locating and mapping Adventist cemeteries across the Dakotas. For more information visit: dakotaadventist.org/community/adventist-cemeteries
