Recently, I searched FindaGrave for Seraphim and Olympia (Medeiros) de Braga. I found both listed but without photographs. I put in a request and got a response the next day!
After I had that information, I decided to search for more relatives. I found several more listed without photographs, so I put in more requests. Today, I received emails that those were posted.
These were the de Braga’s located at Diamond Head cemetery:
And, these are two of my great great grandmother’s de Mello cousins:
Rosa Julia (de Mello Castanho) Caetano
I’ve noticed something about these tombstones. They differ from what I found in the Kilauea cemetery and elsewhere in California. While those tombstones are large with multiple names representing more than one family buried in a plot, these are almost all flat stones with one person named. Even married couples have separate stones.
I thought this was curious. While I have been told this is common at Diamond Head Cemetery and through Hawaii, I have yet to get a reason why. Is there some reason that that the land at Diamond Head Cemetery doesn’t suppport upright tombstones? Is it just a local preference?
At any rate, I wouldn’t have these photos were it not for the two wonderful volunteers at FindaGrave! I hope they know how much those of us living across the ocean appreciate it!