Family is fed up with ongoing tampering of gravesite

Published 1:56 pm Thursday, October 2, 2014

This is the family plot where flowers have been stolen multiple times since 1988. (Contributed)

This is the family plot where flowers have been stolen multiple times since 1988. (Contributed)

By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – Bernice Bolling has had enough. After her husband and son’s deaths she has been routinely visiting their gravesites and adorning them with beautiful flowers on the family’s plot to only find the flowers missing time and time again.

Boling said this has been an ongoing problem since 1988 with it happening most recently on Saturday, Sept. 20.

Bolling and her daughter, Vivian, noticed something was missing in the picture–the beautiful spray of yellow roses that was placed on the family plot on Father’s Day in June of this year.  This special $300 designed arrangement was lovingly placed at the grave to only be taken away once again.

“This is really tough for a 79-year-old woman to endure, but God is able,” said Bolling. “I will soon know who is doing this.”

The removing of the flowers has been taking place at Montevallo Cemetery  and to the best of the family’s knowledge, they aren’t sure if other graves are being tampered with.

The flower arrangements have been prepared at the Montevallo Flower Shop and on many occasions Ms. Elizabeth Studdard at the flower shop has reached out to comfort the family by giving them replacement flowers for the gravesites.

Bolling has insisted that if it keeps happening, a video recording system will be put in place to find out who is doing it.

“I have left it up to God’s video system and the wrong they have done will come back and haunt the ones doing this,” said Bolling. “I just wonder if there are any other plots this is happening to. Stealing from a graveyard makes me wonder, is it for money gain to an individual, business or it is just someone with a cold heart with personal vendetta against my family and me?”