Rembering Timmy: Mission Accomplished

Half an hour west of Phoenix, a chain-link fence corralled s a  desolate gravel lot. There was no iconic sign anywhere that would indicate that  the place was a favorite visiting place for friends and families. A Friday  afternoon drive from Glendale-city center to the outskirts of Maricopa County was a trial run. I did not know what to expect. I was completely reliant to Ms. Tomtom, my reliable GPS system which I diligently packed the day before I put my  mind to the trip to Glendale, Arizona. The research about White Tanks Cemetery began in spring of 2009 after I  heard of the death of “Timmy”, a brother-in-law whom I never met and never knew. Timmy was the youngest of four children of Melvin and Barbara O’Neill. Being married to Timmy’s brother, Mike the oldest of the four; I made it my commitment to support my husband’s mission, to find where Timmy is buried.

Quick Background

In Le’s article, White Tanks Cemetery - When there’s no  one to care, chain gangs bury the poor and the unknown of Maricopa County in a  desolate cemetery half an hour west of Phoenix (i) she described White Tanks Cemetery as the indigent burial site where Sheriff  Joe Arpaio’s chain gangs bury more than 300 bodies a year. She mentioned 2, 984  bodies, including babies were buried at White Tanks since 1994. The article was  written in 2007, therefore, the calculated average burial per year is 229.  Sheriff Arpaio is the Maricopa County sheriff who opened the nation’s  largest tent prison in 1993, saving taxpayer money. Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Chain Gang Tent City (ii) You Tube video highlights the pros and cons of this gang, and also has a snippet of women prisoners, the only female chain gang in the county working together to  lift a blue casket out of van in preparation for burial.  Women prisoners volunteer the burial services by joining the chain gang. According to Le’s interview with Officer Nancy Hernandez, the chain gang is a  30-day program for those who misbehaved in jail or violated parole. The  program’s purpose is to make a difference in these women’s lives – believing  that chain gang will change a person with a bad attitude to someone who wants to  do something good. These women represent the deceased’s family and friends.
After all, White Tanks Cemetery is the place where the John and the Jean Does  are buried and those names, yet no one came to claim the body.

On the Spot Preparation

Our hotel was comfortably situated in the Glendale area, right  across from the University of Phoenix Stadium, the home of the Arizona  Cardinals.  We took our time unloading our luggage and familiarized ourselves with the hotel surroundings.  From the dry heat outdoors to the air-conditioned indoors were a bit  uncomfortable for me, but I knew that Mike was enjoying the feel of a  well-cooled room, so the thought of my own comfort was the least of priority  during the trip – this is Mike’s ‘mission trip’ after all! A glimpse of the pool  placed a reminder in my mind – “that would be my place of refuge” later on.

Camelback Road

The dry heat of Arizona was somewhat distractive, but the automatic  blast of the rental SUV’s air-conditioner was a refuge from the heat. I felt the  sweats gathering on the peak of my nose and nested in my mid-forehead.  Mike seated quietly on the passenger’s seat, not saying anything. Then, I remembered, how would I find out where to find Timmy’s grave? I am glad I had  written down the number.  A week  before the trip, I had called the Maricopa County Facilities Management to get  the physical address of the cemetery, the address was, 15926 W. Camelback Road,  Maricopa County,  Arizona.  The telephone number I dialed was 602.506.7762, the office of Kevin Blair  of the Maricopa County Facilities Management. His voice recording mentioned  another number to call for information on the White Tanks Cemetery,  602.506.5801. It was about 4:30 p.m., Friday and I hurriedly dial the number for  Timmy’s location information. The lazy voice from the other end, gave me the  location information, after I spelled Timmy’s first name and last name and the  date of his death, December 16, 2009. I also asked for direction to get there,  but the lady on the phone could not give the exact location. All she could say was, “There is nothing there!”

There is Nothing There

How could she say “there is nothing there” when in fact, I am driving there now to visit my  brother-in-law’s resting place?  I  didn’t hear a hint of compassion from this ‘lady on the phone’.  Hello, dear lady, there should be  something there. Why would I travel this far from my comfortable weather
home to this dry heat that is giving me a horrible headache if there is nothing  there?” Hello, dear lady show a little compassion, will you, please!  With a sense of urgency I turned on Ms. Tomtom to get us drive-ready to  the city of Litchfield Park.  I had  no knowledge of Litchfield Park’s whereabouts, until I searched for driving  direction in Mapquest a week prior to this trip. According to the city’s  website, (iii) Litchfield Park is recognized by Phoenix Magazine as one of the eight  best places to live in Arizona, with at least 5,000 residents located 15 miles west of Phoenix. Ms. Tomtom directed us to Highway 101 South to exit on West Camelback  Road, registering a 22.2-minute drive to White Tanks. 15 minutes into the drive,  we passed by the Falcon Golf Club at 15152 West Camelback Road. My heart beat  started to flutter as I mentally calculated the distance to White Tanks, ‘we are  almost to 15926.’  There was a point  the two lane road became a one lane road, and the well-kept roadway started to feel neglected feeling the rough vibration of theSUV tires while maintaining  a 45 mile/hour drive. And then I saw the blue and white road sign, “Maricopa County WHITE TANKS CEMETARY”

No Private Markers

Grave Marker

I made a sharp right turn onto the dirt road. I could only hear the crunches of the gravel and dirt, Mike’s sighing turned into silence and glancing at the fence I could sense deadness and desperation seeping through the cracks. I maneuvered the car through the last gate towards Lot Three and parked. An eerie feeling of unconsciousness rushed through me as I grasped my Nikon camera. I saw several PVC pipes used as markers indicating that ‘someone is buried six feet below.”  Cacophony of thoughts seek through my mind as I scanned the vicinity and hoping to find words into my thoughts. I urgently searched the center of my peace to handle the moment – to be guided through this eerie but yet solemn place with hundreds of the ‘Unknowns’ buried and forgotten. I counted 20 fresh graves without the round-brass markers. The last grave with brass marker is with a death date of December 15, 2009. Timmy died on December 16, 2009.

The Beauty Within

Flowery prickly  pear cacti and organ pipe cacti proactively inspire the area with their  everlasting greenery and occasional flowers, and few shrubberies and trees  within the perimeter of the cemetery bring forth warmth, which I heartily took  into consideration that some ‘caring souls’ planted these greeneries few years  back, and now they are giving ‘visitors’ solace that beauty is present within  this desolated place. Then I noticed the endless sky – clear and vast. When I  propped my camera aiming beyond the horizon, I knew then that we leave this  place we will bring with the memory of Timmy and the beauty within this place  and the consoling presence of the White Tank Mountains. I could see the mountain  ranges rising out of the desert flats on the horizon, its majestic beauty  sending out freshness into the flatness and dryness of the cemetery spritzing  the air with coolness.

These Flowers Are for You, Goodbye

Then I saw him placing flowers and a note on his brother’s unmarked grave. Head bow down. I could not see his facial expression. I could not read his mind but his  solemn stance and the firmness of his feet stamping love and respect, letting Timmy know that he is loved and prayed for no matter what!  He remained standing facing the White Tank Mountains allowing his mind to reminisce family memories, the time when he played ‘go hide and seek’ with his brothers and sister. Such a long time ago – the memory so hazy, but now he is here standing on Timmy’s resting place. He said his goodbye!

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References:
http://cronkitezine.asu.edu/fall2007/whitetanks1.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1tfIKUZ0fY
http://www.litchfield-park.org/