St. Michael’s of the Valley Cemetery
Rector’s Note July 2026:
We had a whole week of good weather that allowed for some long overdue work to be done in the cemetery. I would like to thank the Cemetery Committee for the repairs and improvements made during that week. We have new roads and greatly improved drainage, and with some of the remaining funds from the Capital Campaign, the committee would like to improve the landscaping. The committee members are Mary Whittemore, Cokie Lindsay, Jim Beck, Vernie West, and Mike Ledgard, chaired by Mick Pompelia. Mick has done a phenomenal job leading us through this process. Please take a walk out there after church to see how nice it looks. Further improvements are in the works beyond the landscaping—new benches and possibly a columbarium. We are now consulting with a landscape architect and an arborist.
June 2026
This summer is shaping up to be an active and productive season at the cemetery, with several major improvement projects getting underway.
Infrastructure & Repairs
The St. Michael's Cemetery Board has hired Expert Paving of Donegal to rebuild the cemetery road in accordance with our engineer’s recommendation. Construction is scheduled for this summer and is expected to take approximately two weeks. Repairs to the stormwater drainage system have been completed. This will improve runoff management from the road surfaces. The cemetery's well system is currently undergoing repairs to fully restore water service on the grounds.
Long-Term Beautification
We have partnered with Richard Rauso, a local Registered Landscape Architect, to create a comprehensive master plan for the cemetery. Richard has extensive experience in designing high-quality commercial, institutional, residential, and recreational projects. Once his master plan is finalized, the Cemetery Board will begin implementing design features to enhance and beautify the grounds.
Stay Informed
If you have any further questions or would like more detail regarding these projects, please reach out directly to Mick Pompelia.
October 2025
The St. Michael’s Cemetery Board is pleased to provide this update of our ongoing activities. We recently engaged Janey Montgomery Scott to manage funds dedicated to cemetery maintenance and care. Janey Montgomery Scott, with a local office in Ligonier, provides full-service oversight which ensures the safe and effective stewardship of our resources.
Gibson-Thomas, an engineering firm based in Latrobe, completed a thorough assessment of the cemetery road and recommended that the road be rebuilt. The Board fully endorsed this recommendation and tasked Gibson-Thomas with creating a bid package to attract competitive proposals for the roadwork. Construction is planned to begin next spring, pending the completion of the bidding process. To address drainage issues and minimize stormwater affecting the burial areas, a contractor was engaged to clean the catch basins and flush the stormwater piping system serving the cemetery. This improvement aims to better protect our grounds from runoff.
Attention is also turning to landscaping improvements. The Board intends to collaborate with a landscape design professional to develop a comprehensive plan that will guide ongoing beautification efforts and long-term care of the cemetery grounds.
Key information for the cemetery can also be found on the St. Michael’s website, accessible through the ministries link at the top of the homepage. For inquiries or additional details, please contact Mick Pompelia.
January, 2025
A non-profit corporation located adjacent to the church, St. Michael’s of the Valley Cemetery was founded in 1958 for the reverent burial of members of the parish and others in the community with the intent of retaining the simplicity and natural beauty of the countryside. The cemetery is under the direction and control of a Board of Directors consisting of seven directors, one of whom is the rector of St. Michael’s.
If you have any questions regarding the cemetery, its history, operation, or how to purchase a burial site, please contact the Cemetery Board President, Mick Pompelia, at mpompelia@gmail.com
The cemetery has been supporting St. Michael’s and our surrounding community for 65 years. The Board is in the process of implementing some long-deferred maintenance activities and projects to enhance the appearance of the cemetery. Repairing the road, addressing drainage issues, and landscaping are just some of the items to be addressed. To finance these activities, the cemetery began a fund-raising campaign in September, 2023. We are grateful to those who have contributed and ask those who might be interested in supporting the cemetery to prayerfully consider making a donation. The cemetery is a tax-exempt organization as described in Section 501(c)(13) of the Internal Revenue Code, and donations are deductible for federal income purposes.