Ironwood couple cleans veterans' gravestones

By PAMELA JANSSON

pjansson@yourdailyglobe.com

Ironwood - In 2021, Angela Brogan was in Ironwood's Riverside Cemetery when she happened to notice the headstones of several veterans.

Last week, on May 17, she recalled the moment while standing with her husband, Scott Brogan, in the same place.

"I was cleaning my own family stones," she said, "and I walked by these, and they didn't look like they should."

She was referring to Section 38 of the cemetery, which includes dozens of small, white gravestones that commemorate the lives of lost veterans.

Since then, the Ironwood couple have made it their mission to cleanse one headstone after another, restoring each of them to their original, pristine grandeur.

Angela said their first priority was to work on the stones of veterans killed in action.

"There were 106 in that section," she said.

They then moved on to continue cleaning gravestones of all remaining veterans who rest in Riverside Cemetery.

Scott said that, when his wife asked him to assist with the project, "it made sense" because they're both interested in genealogy.

Moreover, said Angela, "Both of my grandfathers were in World War II, and my great uncle died in World War II. He was in the Navy, and his ship was torpedoed, so he was lost at sea."

She approached the project respectfully and methodically.

First, said Angela, she asked the cemetery sexton for permission and then requested financial support from American Legion Post 5 of Ironwood. Its members agreed to pay the expenses for cleaning supplies

"I did a lot of research to learn the best practices, so I won't do any damage," said Angela.

She said that she and Scott use D/2, a biological solution that works to cleanse while not harming the cemetery stones. "It's called a do-no-harm method," said Angela.

According to her, "It's the same product used in Arlington Cemetery and the national cemeteries, and they also use it to clean the White House."

While they both were surrounded by buckets, water bottles and other cleaning paraphernalia, Scott said that, whenever time allows in warmer months, they head over to the cemetery for a couple hours to make more progress.

Angela said the goal is to remove from each stone years of accumulated moss, mold, lichen and dirt. Scott added that the cleaning solution also removes sap and bird droppings.

Technique is also important.

"You should use a soft brush," said Scott. "A wire brush will ruin the stone. A pressure washer will ruin the stone. Bleach will eat away the stone."

The routine involves spraying the D/2 on a stone and allowing it to rest for several minutes before scrubbing and rinsing it. The Brogans then apply another light spray of D/2 and - in Angela's words - "then walk away" to let the product continue on its own to remove any deep-set grime.

Scott mentioned how the D/2 temporarily casts an orangey color on the stones.

"It's called the D/2 blush," said Angela, but she and Scott added that the coloration fades quickly with rain, etc.

As for the final results, Angela said of the stones, "I was surprised at just how clean they came."

The process did present some challenges.

"Some of the stones are too fragile," she said, adding that the industry term is "sugary."

She said that means they are deteriorating to the point that the marble is falling off, which means they could not brush those stones at all.

Instead, said Angela, they could only apply a coat of D/2 and let the cleanser work as best it could on its own.

"That was hard for me," she said regarding the necessary compromise.

The Brogans also engage in annual maintenance of all stones cleaned thus far.

"Once a year we just spray them with a light coat of D/2 and it maintains it," said Angela, "so hopefully we won't have to go back and scrub them again - in our lifetime, anyway."

Their next project is a cemetery section that features graves of veterans marked with small white crosses.

They also have tackled some larger projects such as a Civil War statue in the cemetery and a memorial to Ironwood's war dead on the lawn of the city's U.S. Post Office. It includes names of soldiers killed in action during World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

Gary Olkonen, who manages finances for Ironwood's American Legion, said Monday by phone that Legion members appreciate the effect the Brogans have had.

"It was a big surprise," he said of their request. "We've never had anybody offer to do that much work as a volunteer. It's quite an endeavor."

Olkonen said the Legion's investment, so far, has been no more than a thousand dollars in cleaning supplies.

"They do all the labor at no cost," he added of the Brogans.

"They did beautiful work," said Edie Stockhaus of American Legion Post 5 Auxiliary, which also provided some funds for supplies.

Stockhaus said that Angela also now is an active auxiliary member.

Olkonen said that families visiting gravestones of their loved ones often do not realize that it's even possible to clean the stones. They just assume that natural decay is inevitable.

He said the long-term effects can be pretty significant.

"You can barely read who the people are," he said of gravestones going back several decades.

"They've both done a great job," said Olkonen on the Brogans. "We're so grateful for them."

He added that "they've also pointed out some issues we've got to take care of."

He was referring to a larger statue whose stability has been affected by water seepage and ice.

Angela concluded that she and Scott are grateful for the opportunity to provide a service to fallen veterans.

"It's very satisfying, and it's an honor," she said.