Family of fallen soldier says Jacksonville cemetery is neglecting his gravesite

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Overgrown weeds are visible throughout Army PFC Timothy Seamans' gravesite.

Leaves have now been raked by a family friend but Easter Sunday, when Monica Seamans’ visited her son’s grave, the plot of land looked in disarray.

“I miss him a lot. I wish he was here but I come to visit. But when you come and you see the plot really tore up, I felt like it's been neglected,” Monica Seamans said.

Timothy Seamans was killed in action while serving in the Army in Iraq in 2005.

His family often visits his gravesite on the holidays.

“I think management needs to do a better job in taking care of the cemetery and the plot. That's their job,” Monica Seamans said.

Last year, the Seamans said their neighbor was kind enough to mow the grass at the gravesite, a job groundskeepers are supposed to do.

The family also showed Action News Jax a photo taken last year of dried up grass at the gravesite.

The Seamans family said it’s been a struggle to get Arlington Park Cemetery to maintain their son’s plot.

“We paid $39,000 for everything,” Dave Seamans said. “That included the maintenance. It says perpetual care on the contract.”

Action News Jax checked online and found the cemetery has a 1.7 star rating on Google.

Out of the seven reviews, only one was favorable.

A spokesperson for the cemetery, based out of California, said, "Our core mission is to memorialize every life with dignity. We apologize to the family and will immediately evaluate our existing policies and procedures regarding grave site maintenance."

Dave Seamans said he’s heard that before. He wants to see less talk and more action.

“They deserve respect. A veteran deserves respect,” Dave Seamans said.

According to Dave Seamans, they’ve been having the same problem for several years now. He said he’s even considered moving his son to the Arlington National Cemetery in the D.C. area where he believes he’ll get the respect he deserves.

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