GENEVA — A year has come and gone since 12-year-old Bethany Davis died. A blanket of grass covers her grave at Evergreen Cemetery and small gifts and flowers are left by loved ones who miss Bethany’s smile and laughter.
But up until last week, the gifts and flowers were the only markers on Bethany’s grave.
“It isn’t that often that a grave goes unmarked this long,” Geneva cemeteries sexton Dan Marshfield said. “Given how suddenly this girl died and the grief of the family, everyone here at the cemetery just wanted (Bethany) to have a proper marker.”
Bethany died last November when she fell from the top of the Tannery Hill overpass in Ashtabula while on a walk with friends.
As the group approached the top of the overpass, they decided to take a shortcut and climb down the grassy knoll and through the gradual decline of the landscape. Bethany lost her footing about halfway down and slid off the side of the concrete overpass wall. She hit the ground and was knocked unconscious. She never woke up.
Bethany’s story and the thought of the Davis family having nowhere to grieve set Marshfield into action and spurred the generosity of Ron and Jim Belding of Belding Monuments.
“Another monument company had promised the Davis family a stone for Bethany, but never delivered,” Marshfield said. “Here they were, a year later and no marker for her.”
The cemetery poured the foundation for the stone and the Beldings donated the etched granite marker.
Bethany’s mother, Vera Davis, said the Marshfield and the Beldings have granted her Christmas wish.
“We always visit Bethany’s grave on Christmas Day to leave her little gifts,” she said. “I can’t say how much it will mean to go to her marker this year.”
Davis said Bethany’s friends and schoolmates still visit her at the house and call to make sure she is OK during the holidays.
“Christmas is a tough time for us,” Davis said. “Bethany died in November and we don’t have her for Christmas and then her birthday is in January.
“I know she would want us to move on, but it is just so hard sometimes.”
Jim Belding said Bethany’s story and the Davis’ loss touched his heart.
“I just feel everyone should have a stone,” Jim Belding said. “It is important for the family. A stone is really as much for the living as it is for the deceased.
“People need to have a place to go and visit.”
Local News
Related Photos
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RON (right) AND JIM BELDING, of Belding Monuments of Geneva, crafted and donated a headstone to the family of Bethany Davis, who passed away in 2006. DANIEL KRAUS
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RON AND JIM BELDING, of Belding Monuments in Geneva, crafted and donated a head stone to the family of Bethany Davis. Davis, who passed away in 2006, had yet to have a head stone placed at her place of resting. DANIEL KRAUS
Discussion
A Christmas present for Bethany
Belding Monuments donates grave marker for Ashtabula girl who died a year ago
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