Knotts Island Community Cemetery

04/05/2026

As many will visit a cemetery on this day remember, The grave is not final. Our hope rest with the risen Lord.

04/03/2026

03/31/2026

Knotts Island Community Cemetery
March 23, 2026

You may recall in last year's letter how I mentioned the many cemeteries here on Knotts Island that are not maintained and many that are hidden from view, some within only a few feet of the roadway.

Last month, while it was still cold enough to ward off ticks and with little to no threat of snakes, I ventured out to one of these forgotten cemeteries to do some genealogy work. Imagine my dismay at discovering that this cemetery, with no less than 10 graves, no longer exists! Well, let me put that another way: none of the gravestones are there. All have apparently been removed, and by whom we may never know.

I asked myself, “Why does this happen” ? I thought about this for some time when I remembered something from many years ago.
I was once a Professional Fire Fighter and while I was in the academy, one required course of study was Radiological Monitoring.

The takeaway from that course was this: Time, Distance, and Shielding are the cardinal principles of protection used to minimize exposure to radiation.
Time - how long were you exposed, or how much time has passed since the event?
Distance - how far are you from the event?
Shielding - what barrier lies between you and the event?
The same holds true for a cemetery and burials.
How long has it been since this loved one died?
How far away are the descendants of this family member?
What events have taken place (after all, life goes on) that have created a barrier between the family/descendants and the cemetery?

That is how it happened. People stopped caring because of the amount of time that has passed, and those buried there are all but forgotten. The distance is too great if there are any surviving family members, and they may not even be aware of the location of the cemetery. There has become a barrier shielding them from the location, perhaps new memories, perhaps even a physical barrier in which the property is inaccessible.

Thankfully, your Knotts Island Community Cemetery has not fallen victim to Time, Distance & Shielding. While there are some families buried here with NO direct living descendants, your giving is also for their behalf.

Yearly, checks and Venmo arrive from Maine to Florida, Virginia to California, all across the Midwest, and, of course, our local area.

For that, we are forever grateful, knowing you have not forgotten your family, your loved ones, and your heritage from this small corner of the world.

Respectfully
Jimmy & Barbara Cason
Checks made should be made payable to
Knotts Island Community Cemetery
129 Wards Rd
Knotts Island NC 27950
We also use Venmo sent to

03/29/2026

Not all veterans have military insignia on their graves. If you know any in the cemetery without some type of recognition please let us know.

03/11/2026

Thank you VFW Back Bay Post 1211 for the new flag.
We should never take our freedom for granted, or the sacrifices made by those who provided it for us. 

02/16/2026

Thank you to the good Samaritans, who removed the tree blown down in the cemetery and into the street during the recent snowstorm.

01/19/2026

I thought this was worth reposting.

12/22/2025

It’s 3 days before Christmas, and we find ourselves in the cemetery, gathered with a community of friends as we celebrate and grieve the life and loss of someone dear to us.
I’m not sure if this happens in other places, but here on Knotts Island when a funeral is over we tend to hang around and reminisce. We walk to grounds and visit graves of our family, friends and ancestors. All the while reflecting on a treasure trove of memories.
The Christmas Season can be such a difficult time to lose someone. For years afterwards the season is marked by that loss and and it can be hard on some to celebrate.
Therefore, let us take a lesson from the decorations we see that adorn the resting place of the departed. Green wreaths with red bows and poinsettia plants are the most common.
A solemn place laced with bright red flowers and greenery. What is the significance of these decorations?

The poinsettia plant represents Christian faith.
Red and White Poinsettia symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, Christ's blood (red) and purity (white), and miracle gifts, becoming Christmas staples. Poinsettias  are used in remembrance displays at funeral homes and services, symbolizing enduring love, renewal, and honoring loved ones, keeping memories alive during the festive season.
And the Wreaths, much like the poinsettia can be representations of faith.
With a Circle Shape, No beginning, no end, representing God, eternity, and the immortal soul.
Evergreen, symbolizing, continuous, everlasting life, strength, and the spirit's victory over death.
Red Accents (Berries/Ribbons), In Christian tradition, they often signify the blood of Christ or add warmth and holiday cheer.
Yes, it can be a difficult and lonely time of year, but it is our hope that in this season, you may focus on the memories , the joy, the laughter, and love that are eternal.

Merry Christmas

Respectfully
Jimmy & Barbara Cason.

11/26/2025

While walking the grounds of the cemetery in preparation for a funeral on Monday of this week, I found these two tea glasses at the pergola.
If you visited the cemetery in the recent past and left these glasses, they have been washed and at my house. Let us know if they’re yours.

Respectfully
Jimmy & Barbara Cason

06/03/2025

Today Glen Dixon’s tombstone was set in place. It was a beautiful day here at Knotts Island and as the monument company was placing the stone I briefly thought how much Glenn would appreciate such a beautiful day.
For those who didn’t know him, we are sorry you never had the opportunity. For those of us who knew him, we are richer for having such a soul touch our lives.
Glenn was a painter by profession, retired from the City of Virginia Beach. However, his talents went far beyond that. Like a lot of native Island men he also worked at a hunting guide and did some commercial fishing on Carova Beach years ago. Glenn was quite the cook and kept a nice vegetable garden. From these two talents he graciously shared with anyone and everyone.
Glenn was devoted husband, father and grandfather, you only needed to be in his presence a few moments before he spoke of them.
Above all this was a men of UNSHAKABLE faith who openly shared his hope with everyone.
For those who didn’t know, when a tombstone is ordered it can take a few months to over a year to have the stone made and set in place by a monument company. Glenn’s stone is beautiful, and while the family waited a long time for it to arrive, if Glenn could speak to us now he probably say, it’s ok fellers I’ve got all of eternity…

05/01/2025

A Danish Proverb we ran across.

04/29/2025

KNOTTS ISLAND COMMUNITY CEMETERY
April 23, 2025

The annual cemetery letter was sent out yesterday. Some will only receive it by mail because they are not on Facebook. Others of you will see it both on Facebook and receive it in the mail.

 It’s that time of year again. Typically, we like to mail these letters out well before Easter, this year that simply wasn’t possible.  However, grass season is already upon us, and the cemetery has been mowed. Pinecones raked and faded flowers from the winter have been removed in preparation of the many who would visit over the Easter weekend.

Recently, while doing some work at the cemetery, someone stopped and asked me, “Jimmy, why do you do this?” I simply replied, Because these are our people.”
I may not be related to every person buried in our cemetery, but as I said in a recent Facebook post, I share their DNA. As we have said before, if your family is from Knotts Island or if you’ve lived here for more than 60 years, you’re most likely related to everyone else who has lived here for more than 60 years.
Barbara and I feel it is our duty to take care of this ground. We, (that includes you) owe it to those who came before us to do so. Good or bad right or wrong. Our ancestors made us what we are today.

When the cemetery is full, and there is no longer room for anyone to be buried there, we will continue the effort to beautify and maintain these grounds. Otherwise, our community cemetery like so many of the other old family cemeteries on the island will fall by the wayside and be forgotten . There are a total of 66* known cemeteries within the Knotts Island community with no less than 31 that are not maintained and many that are totally hidden from view within a few feet of the roadside. There are several that have actually been destroyed due to neglect. While our community cemetery looks good now we must continue to maintain it well into the future to prevent it from falling into the same state as those that are abandoned, the annual cost to maintain the cemetery at this time averages between 5000 and 6000 a year depending on the growing season, this does not include occasional fence or other repairs that may be needed.
YOUR contributions have made it possible for the cemetery to be maintained on a regular basis WITHOUT exception.
Once upon a time, it was common practice for each family that had a plot in the cemetery to donate five dollars a year per single gravesite to cover the cost of yearly maintenance. That may very well be true if each family gave. However, that is not the case. Some give in abundance, some give nothing at all and yet we proceed forward because of your faithful giving each year.
That being said, the vast majority of givers are senior citizens. A lot of the younger generation does not give, and it does concern us that as our older generation passes away the younger may not give to the cause. With that in mind, we are aware that a lot of people prefer online payments these days. Therefore, as of this date, Venmo will now be an option for giving as well. We humbly ask that you talk to your family members about the importance of funding the cemetery so that in the future of the legacy and history captured here on these stones will remain intact.

Respectfully,
Jimmy and Barbara Cason

Checks payable to Knotts Island community cemetery may be mailed to 129 Wards Road, Knotts Island, NC 27950
Venmo may be sent to: I Cemetery Fund

* Notes on these cemeteries can be found in the Curritick County, North Carolina Cemetery Records Albemarle genealogical Society