READLYN MUNICIPAL CEMETERY
(R.M. of Excel #71) – (1918 to 2021)
The village of Readlyn made application to have this site surveyed for use as a burial place in May of 1918, and the area was approved as a cemetery by the Department of Highways in July of the same year. According to land maps held by the R.M. of Excel #71, the first owner of the property was a certain Albert Wells who received his patent on February 23, 1914. It’s not presently known how the village became owners of the property, whether purchased or gifted!
The first interment here, that of James Emanuel Sanftleben, took place on November 13, 1918, and the most recent burial is likewise listed in the Master File.
The cemetery is situated along the grid road, just east of the village of Readlyn. From Willow Bunch — follow Highway #36 north to the junction of Highway #13, then continue on the grid road going north for four and one/half miles, which will bring you to Thompson’s Garage in Readlyn. Continue on this same road east for another half mile, going beyond the village of Readlyn until you reach the railroad tracks. Make a right turn going up a little hill and there you are, the cemetery is located on the right-hand-side of the roadway.
LAND LOCATION: the NE 1/4 of Sec. 19, Tp. 7, Rg. 27, W2nd, in the R.M. of Excel #71.
The cemetery lies in a picturesque northward slopped gully, but all the headstones face to the east. The site affords the visitor a great view of a long-wide-valley which runs from west to east along the north side of the gully. The cemetery is surrounded by a respectable wire fence with a newly installed metal pipe gate, and the grounds are well maintained.
The books for this cemetery are kept by Frank Thompson in Readlyn, Mailing address: P.O. Box 1898, Assiniboia, Sk.. Phone # 1-306-642-5717. They’re also accessible in albums at the Willow Bunch Museum and on the Internet at www.willowbunch.ca .
Those people listed in the Master File with “Yes” by the notation “Site Marker:”, have a headstone/marker and their burial spot was located. All other people have no known headstone/marker, but their burial spot can be located with the use of the cemetery map.
All headstones in the cemetery were checked in person on October 4, 1998, by Gilles A. Bonneau. Afterward, Mr. Bonneau and his brother, Janvier C. Bonneau, painstakingly typed in all the particulars for each entry, with Gilles doing the final editing.
All names have been further checked against the cemetery records, by Gilles A. Bonneau and Frank Thompson Jr., for accuracy and to include those people without a headstone.
