Conversations with Randy Rogers

Today we’d like to introduce you to Randy Rogers.

Hi Randy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am the executive director of the Green Lawn Cemetery Association, a private, non-profit cemetery in Columbus. I was recruited as a trustee in 2011 as a frequent bird watcher and nature enthusiast – a position created when the cemetery was designated an Audubon Ohio Important Bird Area. After serving two terms as board president, my trustee position was made indefinite and I was also appointed as the board’s first executive director. My role is to be the face of the board, manage their daily business and projects, and oversee the performance of the contracted operator of the cemetery. I am also a de facto trustee for the Green Lawn Cemetery Foundation, which raises funds for the protection and beautification of the grounds.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
As a retired Army officer, I was well prepared for the leadership and organizational needs of a small non-profit. That said, I never imagined how complex and busy a cemetery can be! One of the biggest issues was overcoming the cemetery business model that penalizes cemeteries as they get larger and older. Another was catching up on decades of deferred projects, and in particular funding these projects. Green Lawn has a unique business advantage that, because of its size, it can offer virtually any option for burial or memorialization – traditional above or in ground, cremation spreading or urn burial or display, and even creative options such as cremated remains in a biodegradable urn being buried under a new tree! Nonetheless, the maintenance, lawn care, and security of an urban, 177 year old, 360 acre cemetery present tremendous challenges as the cemetery works to stay relevant, open to all, and operate as a business.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
One of the true joys of working at Green Lawn is sharing it with the community. The cemetery has always attracted bird watchers, walkers, and visitors looking for history or just wishing to enjoy the quiet among trees as old as 315 years, but we also have a pro-active social calendar! Various groups schedule days to clean the markers of veterans buried here, school groups come to study birds or statistics or trees, and many social, religious, or patriotic groups have holiday remembrances here. On top of that I lead a variety of tours that include walking, biking, and even evening lantern tours in the fall. Many of these are themed – we have over 160,000 stories to tell here from all walks of life, so no tour is ever an exact duplicate. Additionally, I am helping an author write the history of Green Lawn and myself contribute to our quarterly newsletter and prepare topical pamphlets that cover various aspects of our history. The cemetery also hosts public events including a 5K fundraising run for our local Rotary club, special presentations, and a Day of the Dead festival that draws as many as 5000 visitors each fall!

Green Lawn has an impressive collection of statuary and cemetery buildings, and another real thrill is the opportunity to add to the grounds. During my time we have added a granite Grand Gazebo as a focal point for events, a series of bronze deer statues similar to the ones downtown, and a bronze statue of Muggs, a dog owned by the mother of James Thurber and immortalized in his writing. Equally rewarding has been restoring other important works that are well know features of Green Lawn such as “The Fisherman” and “Little Georgie”.

Perhaps my most important contribution has been in restoring the cemetery tree canopy to its 1940 density and shifting it from half non-native to 80% native species. Over eight years I planted 2,300 trees at Green Lawn and continue to plant 50-100 each year. By doing so I am extending the life of a remnant pre-settlement mixed oak forest and preserving the cemetery’s value as bird and wildlife habitat. This work will outlive me by hundreds of years and, I hope, allow future generations the same opportunity to enjoy Green Lawn that past generations have enjoyed.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was always pretty inquisitive, especially about nature and history, which is certainly part of why I am so comfortable here. I am also of the “be home before dinner” and “latch-key” generation, which I think shaped a lot of my personality. Education was always interesting to me (except math!), and especially reading. I started working in a family auto shop at 12 to earn money to go to summer camp – which taught me both the value of work (practical and spiritual value), and also to pay my own way in life. In school I played a little sports (I was not good at any of them) and participated in a lot of activities, but the most important was four years of speech and debate. Public speaking and being able to organize, prepare, and deliver an argument has been a critical skill in life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.greenlawncemetery.org
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenLawnCemeteryColumbus