Forest Cemetery loses second of two swans

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March 5, 2010

By ANDY GOODELL

OSKALOOSA — They were a beloved part of Forest Cemetery.

On Monday morning, cemetery staff discovered one of their swans had been killed, having apparently been struck by a vehicle.

“If it was an accident, I can see how it could happen,” Forest Cemetery General Manager Greg O’Brien said. “There’s snow on the road, which is white and the swan is white. If they came through here at night, I could see how it could be an accident. The only thing that gets me is that if it’s an accident, they could let us know.”

The death of this swan comes after one other water fowl of the same breed died at Forest Cemetery about a year ago, said O’Brien.

Although it was never confirmed, O’Brien said this swan could have died as a result of something it ate.

After contacting an Iowa DNR biologist, O’Brien said he learned that stale bread fed to swans and other water fowl can sometimes contain deadly mold.

“People’s intentions are good, but mold can be pretty bad,” he said.

The swans were a staple of Forest Cemetery even back when O’Brien first took over as general manager of the cemetery in 2006.

“I know they’ve always been the focus of the cemetery as far as a symbol,” he said.

The swans were much more than just part of the cemetery’s scenery, said O’Brien. A shelter near the cemetery’s maintenance shed was designed to house the swans and other water fowl that occupied the property in the winter.

In the winter months, cemetery staff and a few “faithful individuals” would make sure the birds were fed and cared for, said O’Brien. During the rest of the year, those visiting the cemetery could feed them.

The two swans were purchased as a pair for the purpose of being living ornaments of sorts. It’s not unusual for cemeteries to keep water fowl if they have a body of water or two on their grounds, said O’Brien.

“They do attract a lot of attention out here,” he said. “When the weather is nice it’s almost impossible to find somebody not down at the pond.”

The latest swan to die, along with the other that passed away recently, are now in Forest Cemetery’s pet section.

On Thursday, O’Brien said he had contacted Memorial Park Cemetery in Mason City to see about finding two replacements for Forest Cemetery’s fallen swans. This particular cemetery actually raises this kind of water fowl for themselves and other cemeteries, he added.

O’Brien said the new swans could be part of Forest Cemetery this spring.

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Herald City Editor Andy Goodell can be reached at news2@oskyherald.com