During the past decade, members of SGS Regina Branch have read and indexed most of the cemeteries in Rural Municipalities near Regina, listed below. Since 2009, records have included a photograph of each headstone read.

The most recent annual cemetery reading was held Sunday, June 3, 2012.
Thanks to the twelve volunteers we were able to read eight cemeteries
in Rural Municipalites 127 - Sedley and 128 - Lajord. The data has now been indexed.
It was a beautiful day and bugs were not a problem thanks to the wind.
Volunteers met at Sedley. Some stayed to record markers at Our Lady of Grace and others went to RM of Lajord to read some of the smaller cemeteries north of Highway 33.
Those reading the Lajord Hutterite Colony Cemetery were invited in for coffee by
Darius Hofer, the head man. Colony members provided information for unmarked burials, relationships among the deceased and a history of the colony back to Russia.
A big thank you to coordinator Shelley and all of the other volunteers:
Ian, Dave, Brenda, Phoebe, Jim, Darlene, Sharon, Pat, Elaine, Dianne and Colleen.

For a small fee, members of the Regina Branch will do a search of any of the cemeteries.
See our Research page for details of our research policies and procedures.

The collection of burial records for all Saskatchewan cemeteries is an ongoing project of the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society. Most SGS Branches, including the Regina Branch, participate by reading headstones in local cemeteries and preparing indexes.

As part of this project, SGS maintains an inventory of Saskatchewan cemeteries. This database contains the name and location of over 3,400 cemetery and burial sites in the province.

If the cemetery records have been collected, the cemetery information is available at the SGS Library. In most cases, that data has also been entered into Saskatchewan Residents Index, a database available at SGS.

See the SGS web site for details on how to access the cemetery information held in the SGS provincial library.

Since 2009, we have been taking a digital photograph of every headstone we read. These photos become part of the index.

Each year members of our branch venture out to record a cemetery or twelve to assist the SGS with their province-wide project. Usually we do this on a Sunday in June. We arrange carpooling so that not all of us have to drive.

Prior to reading, we arrange with the RM office, village office or individual who has burial records for maps and/or burial lists to work from. We supply our readers with this information along with recording sheets provided by the SGS. We then divide up and work row by row, reading and photographing each headstone or grave marker. In some cases we have previously recorded the cemetery, so all we do is update our current records.

We record items of interest to anyone collecting family history such as full name, birth and death dates, family members, birth places, titles (father, mother, grandmother, sister, etc.). We also look for any items of interest on the headstone such as symbols of organizations (Masonic, Legion, Church, etc.).

Once the information is recorded, copies are given to SGS to be stored in the provincial library and on the Saskatchewan Residents Index (SRI). A copy is maintained by the Regina Branch Cemetery Coordinator as well.

Note from Shelley Kloczko, phone 306-585-3449:
The 2011 cemetery reading will be in the RM of Francis, Sunday, June 5, at 9 AM.
We will be reading the cemeteries in the vicinity of Vibank, Odessa, Francis and Sedley.

Agenda:
Volunteers will meet at St. Paul’s Cemetery at the north end of Main Street in Vibank. Vibank is celebrating their 100th Anniversary, so we’ll be partaking in their Sunday brunch at 10:30 AM. After brunch we’ll continue with cemeteries around Vibank and move onto Odessa, Francis and finally Sedley. We're hoping to be done by 3 PM.

What to Bring:
1. Comfortable walking shoes.
2. Bug repellent. (This is tick season. Consider wearing light coloured clothing,
   so ticks can be seen and brushed off. And/or tuck your pants into boots or socks.)
3. Drinking water.
4. Clipboard and an elastic band. We have pens and a few clipboards. If you have a clipboard, please bring it, with an elastic band in case it is windy.
5. Digital camera, if you have one.
6. Dress for the weather. The weather forecast for Friday and Saturday is sunny and 22º. If it is raining on Sunday, the reading will be postponed.

Click here for cemetery reading information. It explains how headstones are recorded.
I will be bringing some blank recording forms; however, most cemeteries were recorded in the past so I’ll be bringing the transcribed records of the burials to proof read.

If some of you want to car pool, let me know and I’ll help you connect with someone.
It would be helpful if we had another GPS device. If you have one and can bring it, let me know.

Gathering cemetery records is a way of giving back to those who have helped us with our research. Please contact me for more information or to volunteer at SGSregina@gmail.com or 306-585-3449.