Sharon Wernlund has an article in the Palm Beach Post (Florida), Grave task: Society documents Martin dead, about Walt Bruetsch and the Martin County Genealogical Society‘s efforts to document cemeteries in the area and make the information available to other genealogists.
Excerpt from the article:
For two years, the retired Pratt & Whitney engineer has led a cemetery research project for the Martin County Genealogical Society, whose goal is to build a database of the deceased — whether they’re 6 feet under or have cremated remains — to help researchers, both local and worldwide, with their family trees.
Bruetsch is passionate about genealogy. He has traced his European ancestors to the 15th century and walked their footsteps from a Montana homestead to the towns of Ramsen and Frutigen in Switzerland.
“I’ve been researching my own family for years and it’s such a thrill when you find them and make that connection,” said Bruetsch, 69, of Stuart. “You just feel so at peace.”
Since 1996, the genealogical society has surveyed 10 of Martin County’s 14 cemeteries and one of four known columbaria of cremated remains for an online alphabetical listing of some 10,000 dead.
There’s also an evolving index of Martin County obituaries dating to 1913.