Cemeteries

Good Shepherd Parish Cemeteries

St. Augustine Cemetery, Chilton
St. Charles Cemetery, Charlesburg
St. Elizabeth Cemetery, Kloten
St. Martin Cemetery, Charlestown
St. Mary Cemetery, Chilton
Holy Trinity Cemetery, Jericho

Mission Statement
Good Shepherd Parish cemeteries were created as a final resting place for the faithful departed of our parish. It is our sacred duty to preserve this resting place in perpetuity until that time when Jesus comes again to bring all of us home with Him.

Cemetery Rules & Regulations

Good Shepherd cemeteries are a part and parcel of the corporate structure of Good Shepherd Parish, Chilton, Wisconsin. The Parish Cemetery Committees, as a subcommittee of the Finance Committee, are immediately responsible for the operation and management of the cemetery. Any questions regarding the operation of the cemetery or for arranging burials or purchasing burial rights shall be directed to the parish office at 920-849-9363.

Burial rights (site) are sold by the secretary/treasurer of the Parish Cemetery Committee. When paid in full, the cemetery secretary/treasurer shall issue a certificate of easement along with a copy of the cemetery “Rules and Regulations”. Burial rights may not be sold to a third party for a profit.

A single burial site is a minimum of 4 feet by 10 feet. Effective on burial rights sold beginning July 1, 2008, 1 vault or up to two cremains are allowed per site. There will be an additional charge for the second cremains burial on the same site.

Good Shepherd Parish Cemeteries are open for visitation from dawn to dusk. No person shall enter the cemetery after dark. In winter, normally the cemetery roads will not be plowed unless there is a burial. Dogs are not allowed.

Monuments

Monuments for gravesites may be placed in Good Shepherd Parish Cemeteries as follows:

  1. All burial rights must be paid for in full before any monuments may be placed.
  2. No monument shall be erected or placed on a site without first having obtained a permit from the secretary/treasurer of the appropriate Cemetery Committee. A permit request must be accompanied by a detailed drawing or sketch of the proposed monument. Permit requests may be denied for designs deemed inappropriate by the cemetery committee. Permit expires 1 year from issuance.
  3. One above ground monument is allowed for each grave site.
  4. Monuments may be no closer than 13” from the side of the gravesite.
  5. All monuments are to be placed on concrete bases at least 5” larger per side than the monument.
  6. Monument location and inscription location on the monument are determined by the cemetery chairperson.

Sealed and lined type burial vaults with strength capacity of the Wilbert Monticello or greater are required for buried adult caskets. The purpose of this type burial vault is to maintain the integrity of the ground above it. A permanent container is also required for all cremains, infants, and stillborns.

Cremains Containers
When a cremains or stillborn is buried on the same site as a vault at least one dimension of the container needs to be no greater than 6”.

By diocesan policy, burial sites conveyed before 1940 and never occupied, for which perpetual care has not been paid, can be returned to cemetery control with the Bishop’s permission.

Decorations

Decorations may be placed on individual burial sites as follows:

  1. No improvements may be made to the burial site (i.e., monuments, decorations) until the burial rights are paid in full.
  2. If decoration is in a container, it must be unbreakable.
  3. Decorations may be placed directly in front of the monument; measuring no more than the width of the monument and no more than 12 (twelve) inches out from the headstone. Decorations should be capable of withstanding the outdoor environment.
  4. Only one decoration per gravesite unless decoration is kept on the concrete base or off-ground frame is used.
  5. No in the ground plants, shrubs, trees, trinkets, are allowed.
  6. Deteriorated and mislocated decorations will be disposed of regularly.
  7. All summer decorations not kept on the concrete base or off-ground frame must be removed by October 1st of each year to facilitate fall cleanup. Do not place new decorations until November 1st.
  8. All winter decorations not kept on the concrete base or off-ground frame must be removed by April 1st of each year to facilitate spring cleanup. Do not place new decorations until May 1st.
  9. Decorations not removed by designated dates will be removed by cemetery staff.

Burials require a minimum of 48 hours (more time required for winter burial) notice for the opening of a grave. No person is allowed to open a grave without permission of the Parish Cemetery Committee Sexton.

Burials may not be conducted on a Sunday.

The Cemetery Committee with the approval of the Parish Council will, from time to time revise these Rules and Regulations, and reset the fees structure. Please consult the Parish office for the latest version.

(Updated July 1, 2020)