MILLERTON — The families of a number of veterans and other local residents with gravesites at Irondale Cemetery, located just off of the intersection of Route 22 and Main Street in Millerton, awoke on D-Day, Sunday, June 6, to learn that those sacred sites had been vandalized. 

Similar to an incident that occurred two years ago on the same day to a single headstone, this time about a half-dozen granite gravestones were doused with an orangish-red paint at the cemetery.

“It really, really bothers me. It’s the worst form of vandalism,” said Bruce Valentine of Valentine Monument Works & Sandblast in Millerton, who learned of the damage and took it upon himself to grab his supplies and head to the cemetery to clean up the headstones himself, although others had the same idea and also helped out. “The dead can’t defend themselves. It’s one thing slashing someone’s tires, but cemeteries, that’s just cruel, really heartless.”

Valentine, who two years ago cleaned the similarly hued paint from veteran Stanley Smith’s headstone, said this time, the culprit tagged Smith’s grave along with the headstones of the late Sam Kaplan and his still living widow, Linda; the late Clarence and Constance Decker; the still with us Al and Beth Andrews; the late Grenville and Lois Shaffer; and the late Theodore Miles.

“The daughters of Granny Shaffer came and they were literally crying,” said Valentine. “They said they were the best mom and dad. They were so hurt.”

Outgoing Mayor Debbie Middlebrook agreed the crime was cruel and looks forward to the authorities catching whoever is responsible.

“I am very disappointed to think that someone would deface stones marking the resting place for those in our community who have passed,” she said. 

“In my opinion, it is the height of disrespect. I cannot comprehend the motive behind such a despicable act. The investigation is ongoing and I hope the perpetrators are apprehended.”

Valentine added the Millerton Fire Company was instrumental in the clean up, as were a number of local volunteers.

“If we didn’t have the fire department’s water, we wouldn’t have been able to do it,” he said. “They came with their tanker truck and it was a huge help. We were there four or five hours and then I came back to finish Stanley Smith’s bronze plaque, because I had to do it all over with a pressure washer and water soluble paint remover. I think Jimmy Schultz, Al Andrews and some younger guys were there. They were a big help, and Herrington’s donated the paint stripper for us, which was really nice.”

Valentine said the local theory is that whoever is responsible for the vandalism is likely an adult, with a personal grudge against veterans, rather than it being a random act of mischief. 

Around June 17, a boulder on the Harlem Valley Rail Trail designated for a plaque dedication was also vandalized with spray paint, and just as before, Valentine cleaned up the damage. 

“I said geeze, I have everything here, why don’t I go down and do it, it’s just a couple blocks away. I can walk down and do it. So I cleaned the stone on the Rail Trail a couple of days ago; it had bad language. I think a kid probably did it,” he said, “It was a little bit north of Country Gardeners Florist; I don’t think it was related to the cemetery; the paint was blue and gold.”

Middlebrook said “thank you does not seem enough to express the gratitude” that she, the Village Board and village residents feel for the time and effort Valentine and the other volunteers expended cleaning up the cemetery and Rail Trail. 

“Upon hearing about the damage done, he immediately volunteered to clean all of the stones,” she said. “I think his actions express his deep love and commitment to our community. This type of community spirit is what makes Millerton such a wonderful place. Thank you, Bruce. You are one in a million!”

Valentine said, “If we don’t hear anything from the police, we’re going to put together a cash reward. I’m going to chip in and the families [at the cemetery] are going to chip in, because we don’t want to have this happen again.”

Valentine noted the reward could be “substantial,” but hopes anyone with information would offer it as it’s just the right thing to do. 

Millerton resident Bruce Valentine volunteered to clean the gravestones along with help from a number of other volunteers and the Millerton Fire Company. Photo by Bruce Valentine