Congratulations to julia&keld our featured volunteers of the month for March, 2021! We’d like to recognize them for their volunteer work on the site. In just over 15 years they’ve added about 88,000 photos and 678 cemeteries to Find a Grave®. The majority of the headstone photos they have added are from England, but they’re also scattered throughout 52 other countries, some countries with photos in the thousands. They are especially interested in all Russian and Danes who found their last resting place away from their home countries.

Their Profile includes a link to a FB group called Russian Necropolis Abroad. In posts there they link to interesting Find a Grave memorials for Russians who are buried all over the world and also other articles and discussion topics. They encourage anyone to join the group to learn more.

They do a fantastic job researching and creating memorials full of information along with finding and photographing the burial locations of fascinating people.

Just to give you a tiny sampling, here are a handful to look through.

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Their interest isn’t only in burials within cemeteries but also burials within churches and cathedrals. They took advantage of the light streaming in through the window and captured this beautiful photo of the crypt for Rev. Robert Creyghton I, designed by the Revered himself in the 17th century.

Even given three hundred and fifty years of others trying to leave their mark, there is a still beauty in the craftsmanship and fine details of the work.

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In 16th and 17th century England, building a memorial (statue, sculpture, crypt or other funerary monument) for oneself was a way for you to be remembered and also a sign of status. There are thousands of statues, crypts and funerary monuments scattered throughout churches in England. In this third example here, the parents lie on their sides so that their faces can be seen and all of their ten children are below them.

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You might find yourself getting lost in the memorials and photos that Julia and Keld added, like we did! We can’t help but share what unique headstones we discovered while browsing. Thanks to the sharing of their work we can see stones from around the world, read about all these people’s lives and wonder, question and research to find out more in our discoveries.

Our accolades to you for your extraordinary work in cemeteries! We are so glad that you are Find a Grave members and appreciate all your efforts in recording and memorializing those that have passed.

We welcome your suggestions for Volunteer of the Month. If you’d like to submit a volunteer for consideration in future months, please send an email with details of their work to feedback@findagrave.com.

-Find a Grave Team