You've probably walked in the Erie cemetery, and been stumped to explain those "tree" headstones. What about pyramids, obelisks, urns and drapery? What meanings do the various choices hold, and what might have led people to choose one style over another? Join Betsy MacKrell for a trip through a bit of architecture, iconography, and even some abbreviations to be found on memorials in the Erie Cemetery (and others), all of which help tell the life stories of the people resting beneath.
Bio: Betsy MacKrell is an Erie native and a graduate of Villa Maria Academy. As a teenager, she developed an interest in genealogy and family history while helping her Father research and create a family tree for a reunion. Over time, her interest has grown from individual family trees to the endless intertwining of the families that form our community.
After earning a B.A. in English literature at the University of Notre Dame, she worked in advertising, marketing, and PR for Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. She moved to the west coast in 1992, where she continued in advertising and marketing; working for Ziff-Davis Publishing, SoftBank Expos, and then later in custom publishing at Fluent Communications. In 2006, she returned to Erie, where she joined the Erie Cemetery as Database Manager and de facto History Person. This position allows her to further her passion for genealogy at the same time; she has tracked down information on numerous people, both well-known and obscure, who are buried in the Erie Cemetery Association’s cemeteries. In 2011, she received the Spirit of 1812 award by the Lake Erie Chapter of the Daughters of 1812, for her work in locating and honoring the grave of unknown soldiers and sailors from the War of 1812 interred in Erie Cemetery.
Event location:
Watson-Curtze Mansion foyer
356 West 6th Street
Erie PA 16507
Pricing:
Member: FREE
Non-Member: $10
Limited seating, pre-registration recommended.