Last week my housemate Bea and I drove to San Francisco to visit the grave of my uncle,
who in 1944 was buried in the National Cemetery at the Presidio.
The Presidio, originally named El Presidio Real de San Francisco, “…had been a fortified location since September 17, 1776, when New Spain established the presidio to gain a foothold in Alta California and the San Francisco Bay. It passed to Mexico in 1820, which in turn passed it to the United States in 1848.” (Wikipedia)
Its status as an Army military installation ended several decades ago and it was transferred to the National Park Service in 1994. The military cemetery remains, roughly in the middle of the park, and that is the only part of the Presidio that Bea and I had time to visit.
We wished we’d had more time. As it was, we spent quite a while locating my uncle’s grave, and after saying a prayer there, we wandered up and down the rows of headstones, reading and musing over the names and dates, for an hour and a half.
We especially noticed the married couples. Above, John A. Smith and his wife Anne M. — John was a colonel in the Army during both world wars. He was born in 1882 and died in 1948. Anne M. died in 1986.
Arthur Superior and his wife Hilda Georgina
died on the same day, October 3,1952.
It was a gorgeous day, but the wind blowing off the Bay was chilly. The views: breathtaking!
My uncle died before he became an uncle; I never knew him. But I have been remembering him to God, and hope we will meet eventually. I’m glad his precious body has had such a beautiful place in which to rest and wait. Come, Lord Jesus!
Gladsome Lights 
A peaceful outing. The cemetery is beautifully kept – what a pleasure compared with the neglect most of our cemeteries suffer from!
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It is a beautiful cemetery.
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What a beautiful day for your visit. I find it so interesting to walk about a cemetery and read the headstones. I’m glad you were able to find your uncles grave. We are always thankful for the service that our military folk were part of. Yes, Lord come quickly.
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Cemeteries hold so many stories. I like wandering and reading the headstones and thinking of how the deceased may have lived and loved.
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Walking around in a cemetery is so peaceful, and very interesting as well. I often stop and figure out how many years a man or woman lived after losing their spouse.You certainly had the best kind of weather for your outing.
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What a lovely cemetery. Thank you so much for sharing. Warm greetings from a retired lady living in Montreal, Canada.
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Thank you, Linda!
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I spent a lot of time in cemeteries as a child, sometimes helping my dad arrange flowers on a grave after a funeral. I’ve always love the peacefulness in them, and the reminder that each person matters.
Dana
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