SPRING, Texas – As families prepare to mark Independence Day, some in Spring are dealing with heartbreak and disbelief. At Trinity Lutheran Church Cemetery, mourners say personal items left to honor loved ones including American flags were found tossed in a trash can just days before the Fourth of July.
Guat Kersten visits her sister’s grave regularly. She says her sister loved her country and the Fourth of July, and she always made it a point to leave behind small tokens of remembrance.
“For us, we miss her terribly,” Kersten said. “She’s like an angel to [everybody].”
But what she and her friend Jerlean Sienger found during a visit surprised them, several American flags, flowers, and other memorials had been thrown away.
“That is wrong,” Kersten said. “Especially we’re talking about the flag, not only the flowers, the flag. And it’s the day before the big day. It is very important. That’s for our country.”
Both women called the sight “disrespectful” and say families leave these items with intention sometimes for veterans, sometimes for deeply personal reasons.
“You know, there are families that put that for a reason,” Kersten said. “Nobody in their right mind should do that.”
Kersten removed some of the flags from the trash bin.
The cemetery is owned and maintained by Trinity Lutheran Church. The church’s executive director tells KPRC 2 that the grounds crew had recently mowed the cemetery and noticed several items scattered around. He says he has since reminded the team about how to properly retire American flags which includes ceremonial burning, not disposal.
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