Newport, WA ~ Monday, December 27, 2010

We woke to very cold weather but that did not deter us from what we came to Newport to do.  Go to the cemetery where Ron's Grandpa is buried.  Ron never knew his Grandpa as he died when Pete, Ron's Dad, died when he was 14 years old.

We ate a quick breakfast of apple cinnamon oatmeal and a banana and then we got out on the road.  They weren't too bad till we got into the church parking lot. 

Pulling into the parking lot at Spring Valley Mennonite Church.

We liked their sign and the link which explains what the Mennonites believe.  Ron was raised in a Mennonite Brethren Church in Blaine, WA.  When his mom passed away in 2008 she was the oldest living charter member of the Birch Bay Bible Mennonite Brethren Church.

This used to be the Parsonage.  It is now Sunday School & Youth classes.

This is the view of the cemetery as you walk around the back of the church.

OK I think I am a pretty smart person but I will admit it was not till we were traipsing through the snow that I realized we would not be able to find Ron's Grandpa's grave marker as it was covered in snow :)!  But we continued the walk to the cemetery.

The second marker in the back on the right is a Heibert.  We believe this is one of Ron's Aunt Wilma's relatives as she grew up here in the Newport area.

This is facing the rear of the church.  We know that Ron's Grandpa's marker is one of those drifts/openings.  We just don't know which one and with over 12" of snow on the ground we were not going to find it.

Close up of one of the Heibert's markers.

View of the back of the church from the cemetery.  Ron commented that this big evergreen must have been a pretty small tree when his Grandpa died.  It is huge now.

 And that was our visit to the cemetery.  We drove back to the campground, about 8 1/2 miles away and then got the motor home ready for our days drive to Post Falls.