Marie (Midgie)and her husband Jacobus (Jake)left Wendelgem, Belgium and immigrated to the United States on the ship "Finland." They entered at Ellis Island on September 25th 1920(ellisisland.org)and settled in Detroit, Michigan. They became U. S. Citizens and lived on Ashland Street on the East Side of Detroit. Midgie was predeceased by her dear husband Jacobus Patyn (April, 1953) when she passed away on December 2, 1958. Midgie was 4'10" with brown eyes and black hair. Because she didn't have a will, the State of Michigan took her home and all of her assets. She was buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Detroit, in a singles grave along side of the railway tracks. They didn't even bury her along side of her dear husband Jake. Worse than that, the State didn't purchase a tombstone for her; for four years (1958 - 1962) she only had a number 476.
In 1962, her neighbors Elsie and Thomas McCarthy, along with their young son Joe, made a home made stone for her and placed it on her grave. The cemetery demanded the stone be removed because it was made of cement and would deteriorate. The Detroit News printed an article in their paper on the bottom of the front page regarding the tombstone. It was titled A Tombstone Made of Love. The headlines that day in November 1962 read "MISSILES IN CUBA." Because of unprecidented readership due to the headline, public opinion convinced the cemetery to allow the stone to remain. It remains until this day.
The tombstone made of love is the first home made tombstone in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Detroit. God Bless Midgie for being such a wonderful neighbor, my brother for his skill, God Bless my parents for their compassion and for honoring their dear neighbor. Note: Jacobus Patyn is also buried at Mt. Olivet Section 29 Tier 44 Space 183. Isn't it sad that the State of Michigan didn't bury her by his side?
In 1962, her neighbors Elsie and Thomas McCarthy, along with their young son Joe, made a home made stone for her and placed it on her grave. The cemetery demanded the stone be removed because it was made of cement and would deteriorate. The Detroit News printed an article in their paper on the bottom of the front page regarding the tombstone. It was titled A Tombstone Made of Love. The headlines that day in November 1962 read "MISSILES IN CUBA." Because of unprecidented readership due to the headline, public opinion convinced the cemetery to allow the stone to remain. It remains until this day.
The tombstone made of love is the first home made tombstone in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Detroit. God Bless Midgie for being such a wonderful neighbor, my brother for his skill, God Bless my parents for their compassion and for honoring their dear neighbor. Note: Jacobus Patyn is also buried at Mt. Olivet Section 29 Tier 44 Space 183. Isn't it sad that the State of Michigan didn't bury her by his side?
Marie (Midgie)and her husband Jacobus (Jake)left Wendelgem, Belgium and immigrated to the United States on the ship "Finland." They entered at Ellis Island on September 25th 1920(ellisisland.org)and settled in Detroit, Michigan. They became U. S. Citizens and lived on Ashland Street on the East Side of Detroit. Midgie was predeceased by her dear husband Jacobus Patyn (April, 1953) when she passed away on December 2, 1958. Midgie was 4'10" with brown eyes and black hair. Because she didn't have a will, the State of Michigan took her home and all of her assets. She was buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Detroit, in a singles grave along side of the railway tracks. They didn't even bury her along side of her dear husband Jake. Worse than that, the State didn't purchase a tombstone for her; for four years (1958 - 1962) she only had a number 476.
In 1962, her neighbors Elsie and Thomas McCarthy, along with their young son Joe, made a home made stone for her and placed it on her grave. The cemetery demanded the stone be removed because it was made of cement and would deteriorate. The Detroit News printed an article in their paper on the bottom of the front page regarding the tombstone. It was titled A Tombstone Made of Love. The headlines that day in November 1962 read "MISSILES IN CUBA." Because of unprecidented readership due to the headline, public opinion convinced the cemetery to allow the stone to remain. It remains until this day.
The tombstone made of love is the first home made tombstone in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Detroit. God Bless Midgie for being such a wonderful neighbor, my brother for his skill, God Bless my parents for their compassion and for honoring their dear neighbor. Note: Jacobus Patyn is also buried at Mt. Olivet Section 29 Tier 44 Space 183. Isn't it sad that the State of Michigan didn't bury her by his side?
In 1962, her neighbors Elsie and Thomas McCarthy, along with their young son Joe, made a home made stone for her and placed it on her grave. The cemetery demanded the stone be removed because it was made of cement and would deteriorate. The Detroit News printed an article in their paper on the bottom of the front page regarding the tombstone. It was titled A Tombstone Made of Love. The headlines that day in November 1962 read "MISSILES IN CUBA." Because of unprecidented readership due to the headline, public opinion convinced the cemetery to allow the stone to remain. It remains until this day.
The tombstone made of love is the first home made tombstone in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Detroit. God Bless Midgie for being such a wonderful neighbor, my brother for his skill, God Bless my parents for their compassion and for honoring their dear neighbor. Note: Jacobus Patyn is also buried at Mt. Olivet Section 29 Tier 44 Space 183. Isn't it sad that the State of Michigan didn't bury her by his side?
Gravesite Details
Ellis Island Records show her birth year as 1877, cemetery records show 1874 as written on the headstone.
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