A surprise decision to remove mementos and trinkets from gravesites at the Langley Lawn Cemetery and dump them in a corner is being condemned as disrespectful by families of loved ones interred at the Township cemetery.

Robbie Franks and his wife, Devon Franks, made the discovery when they dropped by the cemetery at 4393 208th St. in Brookswood to visit his younger brother, Richard.

Franks said the family had left mementos on Richard香蕉视频直播檚 gravesite, including some imitation cheeseburgers, Richard香蕉视频直播檚 favourite meal, and a chain with a cross his sister had left.

香蕉视频直播淓verything was taken,香蕉视频直播� Franks said.

He and Devon found some of the items in a pile with mementos from other graves, but the chain and cross are missing.

香蕉视频直播淢y sister is devastated,香蕉视频直播� Franks said.

Franks called it 香蕉视频直播渢he most disrespectful thing I have ever seen in all my 43 years of being alive.香蕉视频直播�

In the seven years that Richard has been interred at Langley Lawn, 香蕉视频直播渘o one has ever touched anything,香蕉视频直播� an angry Franks told Black Press.

He said the action was taken sometime between his previous visit on May 15 and the Friday.

Other families had similar reactions.

When Christina Skingsley saw an online post about the removals, she discovered that everything left on her father香蕉视频直播檚 gravesite was gone, including a heart-shaped ornament she left at Christmas.

香蕉视频直播淚t said he was the best dad ever, and I was glad to have him,香蕉视频直播� Skingsley recalled.

香蕉视频直播淚n 20-plus years (since her father was laid to rest), not once have they ever touched the trinkets we put there. It香蕉视频直播檚 always been the flowers (they remove).香蕉视频直播�

On the day she went, other families were searching through the discarded items, trying to find what was removed, Skingsley said.

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香蕉视频直播淭here were people there, crying, searching, going through the pile,香蕉视频直播� Skingsley said.

Shirley Johannesson, whose father, Herbert Brent, mother Frances Brent, and sister Beverly Wright are at Langley Lawn, called it a 香蕉视频直播減ure violation of our sacred space.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淢y dad has been there for 51 years, and this has never happened,香蕉视频直播� Johannesson told the Langley Advance Times.

香蕉视频直播淲e left some things. They香蕉视频直播檙e all gone. It香蕉视频直播檚 all in a pile.香蕉视频直播�

On Mother香蕉视频直播檚 Day, all of the mementos on her family members gravesites were still in place, Johannesson said.

香蕉视频直播淚f we had known that the Township had decided to discard them like garbage, we could have brought them home that day and kept them safe,香蕉视频直播� Johannesson said.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 just so sad and heart breaking.香蕉视频直播�

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In fact, family mementos have been removed from all three cemeteries operated by the Township 香蕉视频直播� Langley Lawn, Murrayville and Fort Langley 香蕉视频直播� according to an unsigned statement issued in response to a Black Press query.

It said 香蕉视频直播渁 significant number of flowers, adornments, and decorations had accumulated over time, including several broken or deteriorated items, posing an increasingly challenging and unsafe condition for maintenance staff and the public.香蕉视频直播�

Notices of the impending removal were put up at cemetery entrances and online, the statement claimed, and promised that staff were 香蕉视频直播渃ommitted to the provision of additional, more detailed information, in advance of any future necessary removals.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲hen I go to pay my respects, I香蕉视频直播檓 not looking for signs,香蕉视频直播� Franks said.