Russell Township Cemeteries

Warren Dovsek, Cemetery Clerk (hours by appointment)

Direct Phone: (440) 338-5798

Main Phone:  (440) 338-8912

Fax:  (440) 338-1965

 

Cemetery Regulations and Fees

 

LOCATION:

Russell Township cemeteries are located at 8455 Fairmount Road, Novelty, OH 44072. Hours of visitation are from dawn (sunrise) to dusk (sunset). Briar Hill and Old Riverview are situated on the Southern side of Fairmount Road, and Riverview Memorial Park is situated on the Northern side of Fairmount Road.

 

SALE OF LOTS: 

Price of lots will be set by Russell Township. Lots will be sold to current or former residents of Russell Township for a fee (see Cemetery Rules and Fees). For non-residents, there is an additional fee. The Cemetery Rules and Fees gives current prices for cemetery lots, foundation costs, and burial fees within Russell Township cemeteries. Sale of more than six (6) lots is at the discretion of the Township Board of Trustees. Lots are being sold for internment in Riverview Memorial Park Cemetery only.

The transfer of ownership of a cemetery deed's interment rights MUST be approved by the Board of Trustees. Lots cannot be resold;  however, on application of the owner, lots can be returned to the Township with refund of the original purchase price (see Cemetery Laws of Ohio, Section 1C). 

Payment of cash and/or check is to be made to "Russell Township" and is due, in full, at the time of purchase and/or before burial. Credit or debit not accepted.

 

BURIALS: 

Opening and closing of graves must be arranged through the Township Cemetery Clerk’s office.  Interment fees will be higher for burials scheduled at times other than during regular hours from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM (see Cemetery Rules and Fees).  Payment and appropriate permit is required prior to interment.

If desired, more than one interment may be placed into a given burial grave lot, depending upon the manner and arrangement of internment. Examples of acceptable internments include (see Cemetery Rules and Fees): 

    1. one (1) burial and one (1) cremation per individual grave lot

    2. no burial and two (2) cremation per individual grave lot

    3. no burial and three (3) cremations per individual grave lot

    4. no burial and up to six (6) cremations per individual grave lot

Vaults: Russell Township cemeteries require all vaults to be 'top-closing.'                                           

 

GRAVESTONES/MARKERS: 

Gravestones and/or markers must meet Township size limitations and shall be purchased privately (see Cemetery Rules and Fees). Foundation footers (i.e, a concrete base) are required for gravestones or monuments, and arrangements are to be made through the Township Cemetery Clerk. All headstones shall be placed at the head of the grave and face the closest driveway. All footstones shall be placed at the foot of the grave and face the closest driveway.

In the case of more than one burial per lot, there shall be no more than two markers, only one of which may be of the raised type, and only if it is in a raised stone section. Gravestones should be made to accommodate names and birth/death dates for all possible internments for that lot. One marker per lot is preferred. 

Flags: Flags will be placed on the graves of veterans by the township during the week before Memorial Day and will be removed during the week following Labor Day.

(Sections H & K) - Subdivision 1 of Riverview Memorial Park Cemetery (northern and middle area of the cemetery) permits raised or flush stones and are limited to individual or double stones only.

(Sections J, G, D, L, I & F) - Subdivision 2, aka the "Family Section," of Riverview Memorial Park Cemetery (eastern and western area of the driveways) permits 1 raised family-stone centered over a 4 (four) or 6 (six)-grave plot in a rectangle fashion with a single-family monument in the middle of the intersecting lines of the family grave plot, with flush type foot or head stones permitted on the East and West edges of said rectangle. 

(Section E) - Subdivision 3 of Riverview Memorial Park Cemetery (southern area of the cemetery) permits flush stones only and is limited to individual or double stones.

Flower Arrangements and Plantings: Planting of perennial flowers, shrubs, noxious weeds, invasive species, etc., on cemetery property is strictly prohibited and will be removed at the discretion of the Township. Annuals, such as geraniums, may be planted around the gravestones. Such plantings are not to extend beyond twelve (12) inches around the gravestones. Plants are to be maintained by the family and subject to removal at the discretion of the Maintenance Superintendent. Potted plants or cut flowers may be placed on graves, to be removed by the Maintenance Superintendent when or if they become unsightly. In-ground flower vases, available from monument companies, may be used in front of the gravestone.

 

MAXIMUM TYPE/SIZE OF GRAVESTONES: 

1. Flush Stone Monuments:

    • Single Raised Stone Monument: 24 inches long x 12 inches wide x 4 inches high (installed at grade level)
    • Double Raised Stone Monument: 48 inches long x 12 inches wide x 4 inches high (installed at grade level)

2. Raised Stone Monuments: (with base) 48 inches long x 18 inches wide x 40 inches high (above finished grade). In the case of more than one burial per lot, there shall be no more than two markers, only one of which may be of the raised type, and only if it is in a raised stone section. One marker per lot would be preferable and the markers should be made to accommodate names and birth/death dates for all possible interments for that lot.

a. Single Raised Stone Monument:

    • FLAT HIGH MARKER: 24 inches long x 12 inches wide x 8 inches high
    • SLANT MARKER: 24 inches long x 12 inches wide x 18 inches high

b. Double Raised Stone Monument:

    • FLAT HIGH MARKER: 48 inches long x 12 inches wide x 8 inches high
    • SLANT MARKER: 48 inches long x 12 inches wide x 18 inches high

3. Monuments: (with base) 48 inches long X 18 inches wide X 40 inches high (above finished grade). In the case of more than one burial per lot, there shall be no more than two markers, only one of which may be of the raised type, and only if it is in a raised stone section. One marker per lot would be preferable and the markers should be made to accommodate names and birth/death dates for all possible internments for that lot.

4. Cremain Urns: Urns for cremains shall not exceed eighteen (18) in height. Urns shall be the permanent type constructed of marble, manmade stone composition, bronze or steel. Pre-cast concrete urn vaults may also be used with a temporary cardboard or plastic urn within, provided the outside dimension of the vault does not exceed eighteen (18) inches in height. Temporary type urns made of plastic, cardboard, wood or other similar material, may be used if there are no plans to relocate the cremains at a later date. Russell Township will not assume any responsibility for damage incurred while relocating an urn constructed of temporary type materials.

COST OF CEMETERY LOT(S):

  1. Lots in FLUSH MARKER section to residents: $375.00 each
  2. Lots in FAMILY section to residents: $406.00 each (Minimum of 4 graves; Maximum of 6 graves)
  3. Lots in RAISED section to residents: $437.00 each
  4. Lots in FLUSH MARKER to non-residents: $1,250.00 each
  5. Lots in FAMILY section to non-residents: $1,281.00 each (Minimum of 4 graves; Maximum of 6 graves)
  6. Lots in RAISED section to non-residents: $1,312.00 each

BURIAL FEES:

1. Cremation Interments:

  • Business Days from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM:  $250.00
  • Non-Business Days or Business Days after 2:00 PM:  $375.00

2. Casket Interments: 

  • Business Days from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM:  $625.00
  • Non-Business Days or Business Days after 2:00 PM:  $812.00

OTHER:

ALL vaults must be  "top opening" style. ALL fees and burial permits must be received by Township before interment. For acceptable types of vaults and/or cremain urns, please see Section 5 of Cemetery Regulations.

 

APPROVAL OF MONUMENT DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF FOUNDATION:

  1. Grave grantee orders monuments from Gravestone Manufacturer ("G.S. MFR"). All gravestones, monuments, or statues must have approval of Russell Township prior to installation. All gravestones shall be placed upon a concrete foundation.

  2. G.S. MFR submits blueprint of monument and foundation requirements to the Cemetery Clerk with monies made out to "Russell Township" in the proper amount for the foundation installation as shown below

  3. Cemetery foundations will be poured twice annually, once in the spring and once in the fall, or discretionarily as weather, materials and scheduling permit.

 

TYPE OF HEADSTONE AND COST OF FOUNDATION:

FLUSH STONES (installed at grade-level)

  a. SINGLE: 2' 0" x 1' 0" x 0' 4" = $250.00

  b. DOUBLE: 3' 0" x 1' 0" x 0' 4" = $375.00 / 4' 0" x 1' 0" x 0' 4" = $438.00

RAISED STONES (installed above grade-level)

  a. SINGLE SLANTED: 2' 0" x 0' 10" x 1' 4" = $250.00

  b. DOUBLE FLAT HIGH: 3' 0" x 1' 0" x 0' 8" = $375.00 / 4' 0" x 1' 0" x 0' 8" = $438.00

  c. DOUBLE SLANTED: 3' 0" x 0' 10" x 1' 4" = $375.00 /  4' 0" x 0' 10" x 1' 4" = $438.00

 MONUMENTS:

----3' 8" x 1' 0" x 3' 0" (Bases vary in size) ----Priced on a time and material basis beginning at $438.00

 VETERAN'S  FOUNDATION: (Bronze Marker or Granite) = $100.00

 FOUNDATION REPLACEMENTS: Completed on a time and material basis, as determined by Road Department Superintendent.