Patti Jordan, Greenleaf Cemetery Board President, announced Tuesday that Greenleaf Cemetery received a designation as a historic Texas cemetery from the Texas Historical Commission.

Jordan said that although Greenleaf Cemetery has been “historical” for over 100 years now, it is just now receiving the due recognition through the state.   Jordan spoke of the different generations buried in Greenleaf and how the cemetery is a perpetual care cemetery that relies on donations and grant money along with city funds to keep it beautiful for years to come.

The cemetery budget is hard to establish according to Jordan, as the only constant incoming funds each year are from the City of Brownwood. Other donations and interest money on the perpetual care funds are an unknown amount each year due to different interest rates available and the differing ability of donors to contribute yearly.  Perpetual care donations are invested and only the interest income may be used each year.  Individuals and donations from foundations such as the Woodruff Foundation and Hall Foundation also help sustain Greenleaf.

The major projects currently underway at Greenleaf include:

Up righting of stones and markers that have tilted and fallen over due to the shallow water table and runoff from the adjacent hillside.

Opening of the old gate of Greenleaf that is a beautiful old gate accessed from Center Avenue.  This opening would allow a safer, easier and more attractive entrance to the cemetery according to Jordan.

Grants from the Beadel Foundation and donations from supporters have been given to fund a project that will help establish markers for a plot of approximately 120 babies that were buried during World War II without any markers.

Photo: Patti Jordan shows the certificate from the Texas Historical Commission to the Brownwood City Council giving Greenleaf Cemetery its historic designation.