Archives Spotlight: Weird headstones of Washington

The Washington State Archives comes across some strange findings, and we truly embrace the state’s oddities. You should see us around Halloween. Recently, one of our researchers came across a series of weird headstones in Washington. We suppose the families would be ok if you chuckle. Perhaps that’s what they would’ve wanted. A sample of our findings: 5 Bratty Kids Done Her In

Coy B. Shillinger, who is buried at Green Hills Memorial Cemetery in Burlington, Skagit County, lived to be 83. However, the five bratty kids done her in. Her newspaper obituary lists five surviving children, but doesn’t explain what happened. In any case, it makes for a great headstone. He Died as He had Lived: Alone Hugh Emmerson is buried in Sultan City Cemetery in Sultan, Snohomish County. He lived and died alone, but not for a lack of a sense of humor. That inscription must have been his idea, right? “His friends and kindred are unknown. He died as he had lived: alone.” It even rhymes. If his friends were unknown, we can only assume Hugh wrote this himself — and didn’t want to admit how old he was. Baby Monster Must have been a seriously ugly baby, right? Well, no, this one isn’t really funny. We’ll call it intriguing. The baby’s last name was Monster. The baby’s father, John Monster, died about a year later and shares a plot with his child at Saar Pioneer Cemetery in Kent, King County. Have you come across anything strange or odd in a Washington state cemetery? Tell us about it in a comment below.