Once when driving from Houston back to Waco with my mother-in-law,
she pointed out to me how strange it seemed to see a cemetery gate
with the name emblazoned "Wealthy Cemetery." Since that day, I have
been in pursuit of cemeteries with ironic, quirky, and colorful names.
Those who know my work know that I have always sought out that subect
matter that speaks to man's relationship with the land he occupies.
These cemeteries are merely an extension of this "social landscape"
genre. I feel these colorful named final resting places represent a
part of our culture that no longer exist. In the era of political
correctness, no one would name a cemetery "Worms" or "Chilly" or
"Smart", etc. These titles represent a time when we took ourselves
less seriously, when we could laugh and make fun of our plight.