Eastern Iowa woman remembers the past by cleaning gravestones
Yahoo News
Last updated: May 25, 2026
Laura Benson has undertaken the mission of restoring old gravestones in Iowa, inspired by her family's legacy and the desire to honor ancestors. She uses a biological solution to clean the stones, making them more legible and preserving the historical markers of pioneer families and veterans.
- Laura Benson of Evansdale is continuing a family tradition of caring for cemeteries, a mission she decided to pursue in 2020.
- She gently restores gravestones by applying D/2 Biological Solution, which removes lichens and improves readability.
- A 55-gallon drum of this solution costs approximately $3,000 with delivery and is estimated to be sufficient for about half the cemeteries in her area.
- Benson founded Stone and Spirit Cemetery Preservation as a community support network to honor veterans, pioneers, and families who contributed to Black Hawk County, Iowa.
- Her work also involves helping to locate veteran graves that may have been moved or lost over time and matching historical records with digital resources.
- The Bloomington Pioneer Cemetery in Ames, established in 1850, is an example of a pioneer cemetery annexed by the city and now enclosed by a modern fence.
- Benson's efforts have resonated with other family members who connect with her through social media, sharing stories of mutual ancestors and reinforcing her commitment to this preservation work.
