Who survived who?!

Today's graveyard excursion takes us to Oak Ridge Cemetery at 1881 Sand Lake Road in South Orlando.

Ye local rabbits have no doubt hopped right past it on your way to or from The Florida Mall.

Today, yours truly will highlight two grave markers at this location that have been a mystery to my own genealogical pursuits.

The first belongs to my great-great-great grandfather William Wright "Dink" Patrick, who returned from serving in the Confederate Army to become Sheriff of Orange County. You'd think a fellow like that would be pretty easy to document. But, note the date of death recorded on this stone: Sept 14, 1915.




Now, look at the adjacent stone of his wife Sarah Matilda (nee Ivey) Patrick. It gives her date of death as Aug. 8, 1915.

The odd thing is that I was unable to locate Dink's obituary in surviving newspaper records.

Sarah's obituary, however, made the front page on the morning after she passed away. It indicates she was a widow, and certainly does not include her husband in the rather lengthy list of survivors.
Add to this an old family photo (not in my possession, otherwise I'd scan it and post it here) that shows Sarah surrounded by a throng of extended family. They are all dressed in dark colors, seemingly in mourning. And, situated prominently in the foreground is a man's black hat. Could this photo have been taken at Dink's funeral? Could that hat have belonged to him?

These markers at Oak Ridge serve as a good follow-up to yesterday's post. Just because something is carved in stone (dates in this case), discerning graveyard rabbits should know better than to take it for granted . . . or granite, for that matter!