Lost 66-Year-Old Headstone Returned To WWII Veteran's Grave

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- St. Petersburg Police recently put their investigative skills to an unusual use. They reunited a deceased World War II veteran with his long-missing 66-year-old tombstone.

A resident was digging up his yard on 88th Avenue North when his shovel hit a solid stone-like object. As the resident unburied the mysterious object, he discovered it was an old headstone.

He promptly called St. Petersburg Police to report his find.

Despite being caked with dirt, the headstone was in good condition and the engraving on it was legible. The headstone belonged to William Henry Matthews, a World War II veteran who died in 1952.

With a bit of research, officers discovered that Matthews was buried in the Lincoln Cemetery, 600 58th St. S., St. Petersburg. They contacted Vanessa Gray, the founder of the Lincoln Cemetery Society, who confirmed that the Lincoln Cemetery was Matthews’ final resting place, but his headstone was missing.

Gray is working to restore the historic cemetery after years of neglect. The cemetery served as the main burial ground for St. Petersburg's black population from the year it opened in 1926 through the segregation era.

Although it remains a riddle how the headstone came to be buried in a yard on 88th Avenue North five miles from the cemetery, the headstone is now back on Matthews’ grave, once again giving a black war veteran the recognition he deserves.

Images via St. Pete Police and Lincoln Cemetery Society

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