Gardens of Stone --- A Cemetery Blog by Alexandra Kathryn Mosca

  Did a bit of cemetery exploring out east last weekend despite the unusually cold temps. Bridgehampton Cemetery --a quintessential churchyard cemetery --is located between two beautiful Protestant churches. The cemetery serves not only as a resting place for those who have passed but also as a reminder of the community’s growth. It is fascinating to think that, as I explored the grounds, families and individuals have returned to this very place for generations to honor their loved ones. I imagined them gathering to commemorate anniversaries, share stories, and keep the memory of their ancestors alive. It’s a continuity that truly embodies the essence of community ties.

The Wagner name was well-known in New York politics. Three generations of Wagner men –-all named Robert Ferdinand--served the state and city. The family patriarch, Robert F. Wagner, Sr., served as U.S. Senator from 1927 to 1949. He died in 1953. Wagner’s son, Robert F. Wagner, Jr., was New York City’s 102nd mayor and one of the city’s most popular. Elected to three terms –his tenure was from 1954 to 1965---as mayor, the Yale graduate previously served as Manhattan’s Borough President before winning the mayoral race at 43.  Wagner died at the age of 80, on February 12, 1991, from bladder cancer. His funeral took place four days later. At St. Patrick’s Cathedral, 700 mourners, including Governor Mario Cuomo, Mayor David Dinkins, and former Mayors Lindsay and Koch, listened to a sermon by Cardinal O’Connor. Opera singer Robert Merrill serenaded the congregation with his rendition of Ave Maria, and Wagner’s son, Robert F. Wagner III, gave a eulogy. In it, he shared with the audience so...