Dale Safford will lead a walking tour of Resthaven Cemetery in Iron River beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

IRON RIVER – Dale Safford, West Iron County’s “Cemetery Lady,” will present the 11th annual walking tour on the west side of Iron County at Resthaven Cemetery on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

This will be the fourth of four tours of this cemetery, and the sections covered will include 14, 18, 20 and 22, which are located in the far west part of the cemetery.

Resthaven Cemetery is the newest cemetery in the area, dating from 1924 and serving residents of Iron River Township and the city of Iron River.

Stories will be told about businessmen Matt Toti, Leonard “Bob” Scalcucci of Dina Mia, and Rad Richards; artist Lee LeBlanc; Clayton Nohlechek and Andrew Komblevicz, who died in World War II, as well as Jack Manning, Joseph Kadulski, and John Hemeleski who served and came home; the Bicus family who lost two sons in accidents; Louise Klemas, who had a domestic dispute with her husband on Christmas Day; and Gold Star mother Josephine Moore.

Family members and others will tell about “Banjo Pete” and Maggie Peterson; Olaf Waino; Verda Barnhart; Stanley Shamion; Louis and Exilda Ponozzo; Charles “Casey” Olan; Joseph Grant; John Zielinski; Julius and Annie Turoski; and Mary and Leo Pisoni. The oldest buried person, most well-tended burial plot, and beautiful and interesting headstones will also be pointed out.

Guest speakers scheduled to assist Safford by sharing stories of people buried in this portion of the cemetery are Betty Petroski, Kim Stafford Benson, Allyce Westphal, Chris Shamion, Cheryl Spencer, Fred Jacobs, Gary Pisoni, Janet Melstrom, Linda Saving, Monica Fiorazo, Karen Polley and Darla Sprague.

The cemetery is located on West U.S. 2 just past the M-73 junction. Those wishing to take part in the tour are asked to meet by 6 p.m. in the cemetery. At the cemetery entrance, go to the right.

Use of a newly-purchased microphone and amplifier will be helpful to listeners, and bringing a lightweight lawn chair is recommended for those who might like to sit as the group stops at each grave.

A $5 per person donation is requested, with the money being given to the Iron County Museum and the Iron County Genealogical Society.

If it is raining on the evening of June 13, the tour will be rescheduled one week later to Wednesday, June 20.