Once again, the Dearly Departed Players brought history to life in the Dunmore Cemetery with their annual walking tours.
On October 1 and 8, almost 1,000 tour attendees gathered to hear about the lives of those buried within the cemetery gates. Under the direction of Julie Esty, the Dearly Departed Players presented 12 vignettes throughout the cemetery.
Of special note this year was the late Lynn G. Adams. Adams was among the first Pennsylvania State Troopers at their inception in the early 1900’s. Adams ended his career as Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner.
His knowledge and expertise in the kidnapping of a young New Jersey boy in the early part of the 1900’s caused his aid to be enlisted in numerous criminal cases, including the Lindbergh kidnapping. Pennsylvania State Police turned out for this trooper from the past with an honor guard for both tours.
Although not buried in the Dunmore Cemetery, her research of those at rest in that cemetery and local history writings earned the late Dunmorean, Mary “T.C.” Connolly a place on Tour 2023. Following the monologue of this beloved educator and author of “The Gravity,” Julie Esty noted that so many tour attendees relayed wonderful memories of Connolly’s teaching career and high praise for her pioneering writings on the Gravity Railroad.
Tour 2023 incorporated the use of “Wind Phones.” This innovative grief-coping method was started over a decade ago in Japan and has since spread worldwide. For two days in October, the Dunmore Cemetery was a “wind phone” station. Esty noted that many people used the phones and some of the stories that were relayed were quite moving.
Local businesses and individuals volunteered to decorate the cemetery in a harvest theme. Once again, the Players were supported by Gertrude Hawk Chocolates, Space Time Mead and Cider, Dunmore Rotary, Northeast Women’s Network, Scranton Films, Lackawanna Historical Society, Carlucci, Golden, DeSantis Funeral Home, and Kim Rosar Bochicchio.
As in previous years the Dunmore Cemetery Tour was a recipient of a Lackawanna County Arts and Culture grant. The performances brought people into the borough from different areas of Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey.
The Dearly Departed Players will be back in the cemetery next October, but in the meantime Director Julie Esty said that the Players decorated the beautiful cemetery Receiving Vault for the holiday season.