Riverside & Memory Gardens Cemetery Albion, MI
Compiled by:Frank Passic, Albion Historian
Website/Database design by: Richard Gostautas

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Riverside Cemetery
1301 S. Superior St.
Albion, MI 49224
Phone: (517)629-2479
Albion Memory Gardens
26905 B Drive South
Albion, MI 49224
Phone: (517) 629-8700
Riverside cemetery: Listed on the State of Michigan Register of Historic Places in 1996. A historical marker was dedicated on May 18, 1997.

Marker text (Side1)
: "Riverside Cemetery. The first burial in this cemetery occurred in 1837, the year Michigan became a state. Land developer Jesse Crowell had purchased a one and one-half acre parcel in 1836, and cleared it in 1837 for use as a burial ground. In 1842, Crowell sold the land to the Albion Cemetery Corporation for two dollars. The cemetery was enlarged in 1853, 1885, and 1914, resulting in a total of forty-six acres. Reflecting Albion’s ethnically diverse population, the cemetery has areas known as "The Russian Section", "German Hill" and a section for African-American veterans from World War I. A private Catholic cemetery contains the remains of people from Italy, Lithuania, and Poland.”

Marker text (Side2):"Originally known as Albion Cemetery and Albion Burying Ground, this cemetery was named Riverside in 1886 by the City Council. In addition to a unique array of tombstones, the cemetery includes impressive mausoleum, an office, a receiving vault and a fishpond. Riverside Cemetery contains the remains of Albion pioneers and veterans as well as distinguished and notorious citizens. Those interred here include Washington Gardner (1845-1928), who served in the U.S. Congress and as Michigan’s Secretary of State; and Michigan State Senator Warren G. Hooper (1905-1945) who was shot gangland style before he could appear before a grand jury and testify regarding corruption."

The Hooper case remains one of the most famous unsolved murder mysteries and a significant political event during the late 1940's in Michigan. Self guided tours/maps are available at the Greater Albion Chamber of Commerce and admission is FREE.

Most Lithuanians and their descendants are buried in the southern sections of the cemetery, including the Catholic section. The cemetery records transcribed here contain numerous bits of information as supplied: Last name, first name, middle name, date of birth, date of death, burial date, block/lot/grave number, ledger page number, name of father, maiden name of mother, name of spouse, some names of children (usually daughters with different married surnames listed) if supplied, veteran information, and other information such as year they came to Albion. Block numbers in the “900s” refer to the Catholic Section of the cemetery, and will have a page number beginning with “C,” as in for example, “C-14.” Some information has been obtained from the obituary of the deceased.

Names of non-Lithuanian spouses are also included in this listing. [NOTE: No Lithuanians buried here with surnames A through F]



Albion Memory Gardens is a relatively new commercial cemetery begun in the late 1950s. It is located just outside the Albion city limits on the northest corner of Irwin Avenue and Finley Drive.



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(Total Number of Records in Database: 9)

Riverside & Albion Memory Gardens listings
Shimkus, Betty Jean      Cemetery: Riverside
Inscription/Remarks: LOOMIS. b. 7 April 1930 Liberty Township, Jackson County, Michigan. d. 23 April 1997, Albion, age 67. Burial 28 April, 1997, Block 121, Lot 107, Grave 107. Pg. 1181. Father: George Carrol Loomis. Mother: Georgia Mae Mullins. Husband: James F. Shimkus. Marred 7 August 1948, Angola, Indiana.
Shimkus, Carl John      Cemetery: Riverside
Inscription/Remarks: b. 1922. d. 18 October 1929, Sheridan Township, Calhoun County, Michigan. Age 6 years. Burial 21 October 1929. Block 100, Lot 18, Grave 1. Page 713. Father: John J. Shimkus. Mother: Maude E. Harris.
Shimkus, James F.      Cemetery: Riverside
Inscription/Remarks: b. 13 April 1928, Sheridan Township, Calhoun County, Michigan. d. 4 September 2000 Kalamazoo, Michigan, age 72. Burial 9 September 2000. Block 121, Lot 108, Grave 108. Pg. 1181. Father: Joseph Shimkus. Mother: Maude E. Harris. Wife: Betty Jean Loomis. Married 7 August 1948, Angola, Indiana.
Shimkus, John Gary Leroy      Cemetery: Riverside
Inscription/Remarks: b. 4 May 1954. d. 29 November 1967, Albion. Age 13. Buried 2 December 1967. Block 121, Lot 106. Page 1181. Father: James F. Shimkus. Mother: Betty Jean Loomis.
Shimkus, John Joseph      Cemetery: Riverside
Inscription/Remarks: b. 30 October 1897 Erzvilkas, Lithuania. d. 30 March 1982 Albion. Burial 2 April 1982. Block 122, Lot 98, Grave 3. Page 1230. Father: Joseph Shimkus. Mother: Anna Spudville. Wife: Maude E. Harris. Married 12 April 1919 Marshall, Michigan. Came to U.S. 8 June 1913. Occupation: Coal miner.
Shimkus, Joseph      Cemetery: Riverside
Inscription/Remarks: b. 27 March 1877 Kaunas, Lithuania. d. 19 January 1954 Albion, Michigan. Burial 23 January 1954. Block 903, Lot 11, Grave 97. Page C-6. Father: Nicholas Shimkus. Mother: Mary Mitchell. Wife: Anna Spudville. Occupation: medical intern World War I with Russian Army in Poland. Kame to U.S. and Albion in 1928.
Shimkus, Maude Elizabeth      Cemetery: Riverside
Inscription/Remarks: HARRIS. b. 30 June 1898 Sheridan Township, Calhoun County, Michigan. d. 10 March 1982 Albion, Michigan. 83 years. Burial 15 March 1982. Block 122, Lot 98, Grave 4. Page 1320. Father: James Harris. Mother: Amanda Spencer. Husband: John J. Shimkus. Married 12 April 1919, Marshall, Michigan.
Simaske, Vincas      Cemetery: Riverside
Inscription/Remarks: [Simaskevicius] b. 6 April 1920, Minturai, Lithuania. d. 17 January 1992, Albion, Michigan. Burial 20 January, 1992. Block 915, Lot 13, Grave 173. Page C-30. Father: Joseph Simaskevicius. Mother: Elana Vutkevicius. Wife: Anna Wlochinski. Married 9 June, 1946, Beyruth, Germany. Occupation: Forman at Albion Malleable Iron Company.
Simaskie, Anthony      Cemetery: Riverside
Inscription/Remarks: [Simaskevicius] b. 12 December 1948 Beyruth, Germany. d. 3 October 1979 Sheridan Township, Calhoun County Michigan, age 30 years. Block 915, Lot 13, Grave 75. Page C-30. Father: Vincas Simaskeviciu. Mother: Anna Wlochinski. Wife: Maria Juarez. Sergeant U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam.
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