Parents in the US, who decorated their son’s grave with a skeleton rising from the ground, have repeatedly had their Halloween tributes to him removed by cemetery officials.
William Wohle, 18, suffered a fatal heart attack in 2016, shortly after taking part in a rodeo competition.
His mum and dad, Rob and Christina Wohle, from New Hampshire, say they wanted to honour his “sense of humour” with the display, which shows the skeleton wearing a cowboy hat.
Rob and Christina Wohle wanted to honour their son’s ‘sense of humour’. Pic Christina Wohle/Facebook
In a post on Facebook, Christina said: “I’m getting tired of Cole’s Halloween decorations being removed. This is rude!
“There is nothing wrong with having a little fun with death. Sometimes you have to laugh, because there is so much to cry over!!!”
Polly Freese, chairman of the Francestown Cemetery Commission, told the Union Leader newspaper that it had every right to remove any decoration and was under no obligation to inform the families involved.
She also claimed that the skeleton was in the way of landscapers who mow the cemetery every week.
She said: “It’s really frustrating because you’re dealing with emotion on the one side, and with the law on the other, and we’re coming across as the bad guys.”
But Mrs Wohle disputed the comments, adding on her Facebook post: “There is no grass growing on the plot to mow, so it isn’t interfering with the landscapers.
The parents of William Wohle said they had to set the skeleton up twice in three days. Pic Christina Wohle/Facebook
“I’ve had to set the skeleton up twice in 3 days! There isn’t anything in the cemetery regulations prohibiting, as there shouldn’t be. This is October, get some spirit!”
In replies, she received support from several people, but one person claimed she “personally didn’t like it” – saying: “I’m sure its upsetting someone that has a family member buried there. Also maybe they are trying to get grass to grow there. Who knows.”
But Mrs Wohle has told Sky News: “There are just so many tears in the life of a bereaved parent, that sometimes you just have to find some happiness to share with your child”.
It is understood William’s parents will not be attempting to put the decorations up again.
