Cemetery restoration in Patchogue 

The Friends of Lakeview Cemeteries in Patchogue have achieved a significant milestone by restoring 100 gravestones in Waverly Cemetery since 2023.

This accomplishment represents approximately one-third of the professional restoration work identified in a 2021 assessment.

These efforts have been made possible through generous community support and key funding sources, including a 2024 Gardiner Foundation Challenge Match grant and a Suffolk County Parks Hotel-Motel Fund grant.

While much remains to be done, the restorations have significantly reduced the number of stones at immediate risk of further damage.

In addition to professional conservation, volunteers have contributed hundreds of hours maintaining the grounds, carefully cleaning headstones, and improving overall safety and accessibility.

A major focus over the past year has been the removal of invasive Japanese knotweed that had overtaken parts of the property.

The dense overgrowth was threatening both gravestones and burial sites.

As it was cleared, several long-hidden 18th-century markers were revealed, reconnecting the community with individuals whose stories had been lost beneath the surface.

Restoration efforts have also begun at the gravesite of Elizabeth Oakes-Smith, a nationally recognized 19th-century writer and women’s rights advocate buried at Lakeview.

The group plans to expand restoration work into Union Cemetery in 2026.

Arlene Guzman Capobianco, chair of Friends of Lakeview Cemeteries and a leader of the restoration efforts, emphasized that the preservation of these cemeteries is about more than repairing broken stones.

“It’s about honoring the lives of those who came before us and making sure future generations understand the history that shaped our community,” she said.

“Thanks to our volunteers and supporters, we’re making steady, meaningful progress.”

These restoration efforts not only preserve the physical markers of the past but also strengthen the community's connection to its rich history.

Residents from Patchogue, Medford, Bellport, Bayport, and Blue Point are encouraged to participate in upcoming volunteer opportunities to support the ongoing preservation of these historic sites.

For more information on how to get involved, visit the Friends of Lakeview Cemeteries' official website.