Emlenton Cemetery Association Installs a 72 Niche Columbarium

Emlenton Cemetery’s new 72 Niche Columbarium is carefully placed into position.

The Emlenton Cemetery Association now has a 72 Niche Columbarium for the respectful, public storage of funerary urns containing cremated remains.

The 72 niche columbarium was delivered to the Emlenton Cemetery on Friday, May 8, 2026, and is quite visible upon entering the cemetery from Kerr Ave. A cement pad was constructed earlier for placement of the unit. Fred Hays of Eck’s Dirt Work constructed the framing for the concrete pad and sidewalk, while Lutz Concrete poured the cement and worked the final touches to the pad/side walk. And the construction was perfect as the columbarium was placed.

In the photo here, you can see a space between the cement and the columbarium was created with sheets of ice place on the cement pad. This allowed for the unit to be moved into precise position, and allowing for the moving straps to be removed from underneath the structure. As the ice melts the unit will rest in its permanent resting place.

The 72 niches will allow for two urns to be place inside. The Niches are 12 inches x 12 inches x 12 inches. They are available for purchase as a single or double niche.

The columbarium was purchased by the Emlenton Cemetery Association from Clarion Monuments.

A columbarium is a dedicated structure designed to store funerary urns containing cremated remains.

Some aspect of a Columbarium are: Niches. Niches are individual or companion compartments that hold one or more urns. Niches are typically sealed with a stone or metal panel (e.g., granite or marble), which can be engraved with the deceased’s name and dates. The Columbarium offers a permanent, respectful alternative to ground burial, allowing family and friends a specific place to visit for remembrance.

If you are interested in more information about the Columbarium you can call 814-758-1095 or email: EmlentonCemetery@gmail.com. You can also contact the board of directors: Steve Lentz, president; Mark Brosnahan, Vice-President; Lee Ann Carr, Sec./Treasure; Ken Ritts, Fred Hays, Linda Bartley or Carla Hays.

The columbarium was purchased through the “Perpetual Care Fund”. This fund is also used to upgrade and maintain the cemetery as needed. A new equipment building was built in 2024. It funds repairs of the foundations of head stones, monument cleaning along with 2 full-time and 2 part-time employees.

Some of the previous board of directors, who had the foresight to establish a perpetual care fund include, Fred Brosnahan, Bill Ford, Arch Newton, Bob Eckelbarger, Walter Sam Turk, Ron Larimore, and Susan Larimore. Past directors also include Peg Kahle and Paul Nedrow.