Each November 1 - 2 the families  of Álamos clean, paint, and

place fresh flowers on the graves of their ancesters for El Día de

los Muertos.  For the past seven years, members of the Álamos

History Association have given the same honor to departed

members of the foreign community buried in the city panteon.

    The History Association began the project of caring for the graves of deceased foreign residents of Álamos a few years ago by first doing research in el Palacio Municipal.  From the initial estimates of fewer than 30, the number swelled; as the Day of the Dead festivities were celebrated in 2011, 89 graves had been identified as belonging to Álamos residents born outside of Mexico.  While some of the deceased had family members which lived in or regularly visited Álamos, the vast majority did not.

    AHA member Geri Lea in 2009 began the task of finding volunteers to care for these graves.  The “Adopt a Grave” program asks volunteers to do more than clean and place flowers on the graves for the Día de los Muertos event, but to care for the graves year-round.  In addition, those adopting graves are asked to research information and write biographies of all those norteamericanos and other foreign-born who are buried in Álamos.  When information is complete, we will publish biographies on every foreigner buried in the cemetery in Álamos, Son., México.  In addition, Association members are working to draw a map of the cemetery with the goal of identifying every grave.

    According to Ms. Lea, the first foreign resident buried in Álamos was Alfred Stowe, a young man of 17 who was died and was buried here in 1866. 

    In addition to grave adoption, the History Association honors a member of the Foreign Community each year with an altar placed on display November 1- 2 in el Museo Costumbriste de Sonora.  Scroll down to see a video, pictures of recent altars, and more information relating to Día de los Muertos.

TOP LEFT:  Dolores Parker (1927 - 2010)

LEFT:  Leila Gillette (1916 - 2015)

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2016 Day of the Dead Cemetery Mass, Álamos

Levant Alcorn — 1905 - 2004

Clifford Chapman — 1907 - 1974

John Clark — 1850 - 1902

Harold Lea — 1924 - 1990

Bill Wilkerson — d. 2002

Jeanne Ricki — 1917 - 1987

Hal Findlay — 1898 - 1987

Otto Skutt— 1887 - 1977

Margo Findlay — 1906 - 2009

Thomas Wood — 1913 - 1983

Mary M. Durvin— 1908 - 1971

Jane L. Palmer— 1903 - 1969

Bill Walsh— 1900 - 1977

Gretchen Von Breuning Williams— 1896 - 1982

Ruth W. Wagoner— 1890 - 1978

Stanford Stevens— 1897 - 1979

Gloria Fonda Dalton— 1894 - 1978

Algurnon Porter — 1951 - 1999

              Día de los Muertos

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Día de los Muertos:

in recognition of the foreign community

    Each year the Álamos History Association selects a member (or members) of the foreign community of Álamos to honor with a Day of the Dead altar composed of photos, remembrances, and objets of importance relating to that individual.  Association member Linda Adams has prepared these altars for the past few years, coordinating with friends and family of the deceased in making the preparations.

    The altars are displayed at el Museo Costumbriste de Sonora on November 1 and 2, and some items relating to these displays are stored and displayed in the Research Library as well.

    In 2018 the History Association altar celebrated the life of Earle Winderman, who bought a house in Álamos in the 1980s, restored and remodeled the house, and with his wife, Joan, became an important member of the Álamos community until his recent death.  In 2017 the History Association altar celebrated Tom and Twyla Harkness, who contributed to the Álamos community for nearly 20 years.

To look up information and gravestone pictures of other foreigners buried in the Álamos cemetery, follow this link created by AHA member Joan Powell: 

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=2475251&CScn=panteon+de+alamos&CScntry=45&

Photos from Day of the Dead, 2015

Three photos above©Joan Gould Winderman, 2015

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18 of the 89 Graves of Foreigners in the Álamos Cemetery

GO TO:

Municipalites of Álamos

https://alamoshistoryassociation.org/50.63.41.1/Municipality_of_Alamos.html

2018 honoree:  the altar of Earle Winderman, with his widow, Joan Gould Winderman, at right

2017 honorees:  Tom and Twyla Harkness