We’ve all passed Forest Lawn Cemetery countless times. So many times in fact that we probably don’t pay as much heed to its grandeur as we should. Not to mention that so many of us take it for granted, that we don’t take advantage of the grounds of the cemetery, filled with ponds, artwork, winding roads, bridges and… fabulous headstones.
Some of the most remarkable headstones were built by a prestigious Buffalo company by the name of McDonnell & Sons. The company was known throughout the nation as one of the most talented memorial builders in the business. Not only was the company renowned for its impressive memorials, built by a full staff of architects, designers and builders, it was also known for the family that ran it. Emily McDonnell took over the business after her husband passed, which at the time was considered extremely unusual.
This Sunday, February 14 (2pm), Emily McDonnell’s great grandson will talk about what it was like for a female executive to run the business that built Forest Lawn’s Blocher Monument, Birge Memorial and iconic Main Street gate. The talk will detail “her life, struggles, and triumphs” at a time when it was highly unusual to see a woman in such prominent executive roles. The talk will be held at the Margaret L. Wendt Archive and Resource Center, where original photographs, catalogs, blueprints and documents from the Forest Lawn archives will be on hand thanks to the efforts of Forest Lawn’s Special Initiatives Director, John Edens.
This program is part of Forest Lawn’s annual Sunday in the Cemetery Concert & Lecture Series, which runs through April.
Tickets are $15 and are available at forest-lawn.com.