A grandson can decorate his grandparents' grave — within reason

Charles Guanieri, 61, at his grandparents' grave at the Beverly Monument Cemetery in Edgewater Park. He was made to remove an elaborate display that included statues, a snowman and life preservers. “Yeah, life preservers,” he said. “Two of ’em. The kind you throw to somebody if they’re drowning.”

Even though the giant skull head must go, a New Jersey judge agreed that Charlie can decorate his grandparents grave with statues and shepherd hooks.

The crowded display did not impress the Beverly Monument Cemetery. The littlest of little guys decided to fight.

I didn't want this fight. Charlie told me last week that he didn't want it to land in court.

He wanted Judge Judy to settle things. He got a judge from New Jersey.

Charlie said that he was a good guy and that he wanted to remember his grandparents in the best way possible.

He wanted a statue of an Army guy, a snowman, and twin shepherd hooks to adorn their grave at the cemetery on Bridgeboro Road in Beverly.

Carlo was an Italian immigrant who served in the U.S. Army during World War II. The statue of the Army. His grandmother loved the area. So, the life preservers. Every item was intended to be a seasonal addition.

The skull head was supposed to be used for Halloween.

The snowman was made for Christmas. Maybe he got carried away when he placed a huge Italian flag at the grave. All came from his heart.

He said that he loved his grandparents.

It showed that his grandparents were still loved by him.

The administrators of the cemetery didn't see it that way. They thought the skull head was disturbing because it was in a cemetery. The snowman was left up all summer. Staff left notes when Charlie added more things to his grandparents plot.

He said that he could see why people felt that way about the snowman and skull head.

But the Italian flag? He didn't understand it. The bench is also included.

He said that other people had benches, but they made him get rid of his.

Charlie Guanieri stands at a grave adorned with sentimental items at Beverly Monument Cemetery. He was made to remove a splashy display he set up at his grandparents' grave, but gripes others get to keep theirs. “I mean, look around," he said. "People junk up their graves ... There’s one down there with a bench. I had a bench, and they took it away. It ain’t right.”

He stored the items at a friend's farm in Columbus, after reluctantly removing most of the display. He was insulted. He couldn't let it go without a fight.

He said it wasn't right.

In October of last year, he filed a civil complaint in Mount Holly.

He said he wanted to get them for definition of character.

Is defamation of character what you mean?

He said that.

He represented himself.

He said, "And my grandparents."

The cemetery's lawyer asked for the case to be dismissed.

Charlie said that the judge handed it over to a mediator.

Both sides came to an agreement last month. Charlie wouldn't get any money from the cemetery because they withdrew their request for dismissal. He would be able to put back some of the decorations.

The final order of the court states that thePlaintiff may, if he wishes, have the following items reinstalled.

The order states that Charlie may not place anything offensive or obscene on the gravesite in question, including but not limited to: skulls and Italian flags.

New rules and regulations can be implemented by the cemetery administrators as they deem necessary for future maintenance of the property, and reinstalled items set forth above remain subject to any new rules and regulations the (cemetery) deems necessary.

I asked Charlie if he thought the rules would change to allow stuff to be put back.

I'm going back to court if that's what they intend.

He could go bigger.

I would get my grandparents out of this place. You can take them to Lakeview in Cinnaminson. They deserve the best. Really, they do.

You can make a fight what you want. A grandson is devoted to his grandparents memory and fighting to keep it.

If reporters don't tell these stories, you won't read them. Support local journalism. You can subscribe to the BCT. If you have a question about the column, you can reach it at jdmullane@courierTimes.com.

The article originally appeared on the Burlington County Times.

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