'They’re devastated': N.B. family cemetery bench stolen

Ever since his wife died eight years ago, Paul Inglis would come once a week for a visit to sit and talk with her.

But now, he can’t do that.

The heavy wood bench attached to the ground was stolen from Alderwood Cemetery in Riverview, N.B., sometime late last month.

“Totally depressing that somebody would steal the bench at the graveyard,” said Inglis.

The 75-year-old, who has Lewy body dementia, used the bench to tell his wife Vita stories about their five grandchildren.

“I was angry that someone would do that and so frustrated,” said Inglis. “When we left, I was sort of in shock for a while.”

The bench was made by an old military buddy from Germany shortly after Vita died of a brain tumour in 2016.

It had a blue jay and edelweiss painted on it for Vita’s German heritage.

The couple met in their late teens when Inglis was stationed in Germany.

Paul Inglis often visits the grave of his late wife in Riverview, N.B. (Source: Derek Haggett/CTV News Atlantic)

Inglis’s new wife Marianne Steeves shared the news and photos of the bench on Facebook.

Her post has been shared hundreds of times.

Steeves said the bench also had the signatures of Paul and Vita’s grandkids on it.

“The grandchildren that hold their grandmother so high, they’re devastated,” said Steeves.

So too are Paul and Vita’s children.

Kirsten Inglis-Gri said she has a hard time visiting her mother’s grave because they were very close.

“She was my best friend,” said Inglis-Gri. “She’s missed every day.”

Paul Inglis and Marianne Steeves are pictured. (Source: Derek Haggett/CTV News Atlantic)

While the bench may not have great monetary value, it’s sentimental worth is priceless.

“That bench represents my whole family,” said Inglis-Gri. “The gentleman who made that bench was my dad’s military police partner in Germany. So we go back 40 something years ago. That bench was in loving memory for my mom, so the family could sit there and visit my mom.”

Cemetery owner Kim Ayles said they’re aware of the theft and at least one other bench has been stolen recently.

“We’re just really saddened here at Alderwood because we are a part of the Town of Riverview, but we do have a country feel here and with that comes some trustworthiness and honesty,” said Ayles. “The fact that this would happen in our little country cemetery, it breaks our hearts. So we’re hoping with the help of the community we can get to the bottom of this.”

Ayles said staff swept the woods, but no benches were found.

The theft has been reported to the RCMP.

“There was long rebar, a couple of feet of rebar underneath this bench that they had to pull out from under the ground,” said Steeves. “It’s a very heavy bench.”

Inglis said Vita was great mother and grandmother who loved a good practical joke.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better wife,” said Inglis.

The family is offering a $500 reward to anyone with information on where the bench may be. If someone does come forward, their privacy will be respected.

“I’m sort of hoping that the fellow that swiped that bench from my wife – because it’s hers – that they’ve got enough guts to be a man and return it,” said Inglis.

Inglis said if whoever took the bench returns it, all will be forgiven. 

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