A Saugus family has exhumed their daughter’s body and a Valencia couple has launched a petition drive in a dual dispute over the appropriate way to decorate loved one’s graves at a Newhall cemetery…

    Eternal Valley Memorial Park’s policy calling for only cut flowers and American flags on graves — except in the children’s section — has failed to appease all factions during the past three months.
    “The cemetery was less than helpful in dealing with the problem, and the groundskeepers were absolutely awful in their carelessness,” said Barry Pearce, who had his daughter’s remains exhumed from Eternal Valley in August after several of the decorations placed at her grave plot were shredded by a lawnmower and left scattered about.
    “On the one hand, (the management) has the cemetery rules to follow, which does not allow any items left behind except cut flowers,” Pearce said. “On the other hand, (the management) has upset parents and families of loved ones who want to leave behind a memorial.”
    Wayne and Patty Rhoades of Saugus said Eternal Valley’s policy is not enforced parkwide and that they and a few other families have been singled out for decoration removal.
    The Rhoades’ son, Andrew, who died in a vehicle accident in Blythe, was buried at Eternal Valley in 2003.

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