Visitor Information and
Cemetery Rules

Thank you for visiting the Gussettville Cemetery. Please read below for cemetery rules. By entering the property, you agree to be bound by the legal terms and conditions found below in Section 6.

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For information regarding Gussettville Cemetery, please contact one of the following:
Rodney Nance (361) 449-7650 Grounds Manager
Dee Rosebrock (361) 354-9627 Grounds Crew
Willie James (361) 449-6177 Grounds Crew

 

For the purpose of these rules “management” shall be defined as the President of the Gussettville Cemetery Association and/or the chairperson of the Grounds Committee.

 

Section 1.  Supervision of Activities: Cemetery management must be contacted before any work begins in the cemetery.  A plot location must be verified and approved prior to a grave being excavated.

 

Section 2.  Headstones and Bases: A picture, sketch, or drawing of all headstones, including inscriptions, must be approved by management prior to being constructed.  These may be emailed to gussettvillecemetery@gmail.com for review.

 

All headstones shall be placed on a concrete base at least six (6) inches thick, installed flush with the ground and reinforced with steel at least ⅜” in diameter on no more than six (6) inch centers, with perimeter footing (also steel reinforced) at least eight (8) inches deep by six (6) inches wide.  Reinforcing steel of at least ½” in diameter shall be driven in each corner of the base and along the perimeter footing at intervals no greater than two (2) feet, to a depth of at least six (6) inches below the bottom of the footing.  Base dimensions must be at least as large as those of the headstone that will be placed upon it.

 

Headstones and bases must lie entirely within the boundaries of the plot.  Single or double headstones may be used.  Single headstones shall be no more than 36 inches wide and double headstones shall be no more than 72 inches wide.  No new headstones may be placed that are greater than 36 inches high. Footstones, if installed, must be flush with the ground so as not to interfere with mowing.

 

Installations that do not meet these requirements are subject to being replaced at the expense of the plot owner(s) or their family.  Family members shall ensure that headstone design and base construction are reviewed and approved by management prior to commencement of any work.  

 

Section 3.  Grave or Plot Borders:  No curbing, borders, or cradles may be added to any existing grave nor to any new graves in the future.  This is to reduce time and cost of maintenance.  Borders already in place shall be grandfathered and shall remain in place as long as they do not deteriorate to the point of becoming a safety hazard, as determined by management.

 

Section 4.  Interment Restrictions and Cremated Remains: Each gravesite shall be for one (1) casket interment only.  One (1) additional interment of cremated remains or of infant remains may be added to a gravesite containing a casket interment.  Alternatively, a maximum of two (2) cremated remains may be interred in a single grave site without any other interment burials.  Should cremated remains be the first 

interment in a grave the urn must be contained within an urn vault.  The cremated remains, inside a vault, may be temporarily disinterred prior to a casket burial and then reinterred above the casket.  Cremated remains are not to be disbursed above ground anywhere in the cemetery.

 

Section 5.  Floral Arrangements and Landscaping: Floral and other arrangements left on fresh graves shall be removed by the family no later than two (2) weeks after burial.  After this time any burial arrangements remaining on the grave will be removed by management.

 

Special holiday arrangements for Easter, All Souls Day, and Christmas are allowed from thirty (30) days before until thirty (30) days after the holiday.  Any floral arrangement will be removed by management when they become wilted, faded, discolored, or otherwise deteriorated or unsightly.

 

Any arrangements or other items left on graves that are not in keeping with the sanctity and dignity of a cemetery will be removed by management.  Benches, chairs or other outdoor seating that has deteriorated will be removed.  In addition, management reserves the right to remove or relocate benches or other items that encroach upon neighboring graves.  

 

Until further notice, please do not plant any trees or shrubs in the cemetery without prior permission of management.  In general, trees or shrubs are not to be planted directly on a burial site.  Trees or shrubs that are either planted or found growing wild directly upon a burial site will be removed by management.  The location of any trees planted elsewhere in the cemetery must be approved by management prior to planting.  

 

Please be mindful of the time and effort required to mow the cemetery and make every effort to keep plots free of unnecessary clutter that may interfere with routine maintenance. Unsecured arrangements of any kind will be removed and discarded prior to mowing.  Please help us keep our cemetery clean!

 

Gussettville Cemetery Property Use Terms and Conditions 

The Gussettville Cemetery Association (“GCA”) is pleased to provide you with access to its two cemetery properties – the old and new Gussettville cemeteries - and the St. Joseph Church.  Your entry and activities on the property are strictly voluntary.  By entering any of the properties, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions and you agree that these terms and conditions will be the exclusive terms and conditions that apply to you and the GCA in the event of any injury to you or any third party or damage to any property. 

1. Waiver of liability.  (i)  Because your entry and activities on the properties may present physical and other risks, including the risk of physical injury or damage to your property, you will use your good judgment and reasonable care in deciding to enter the property and in undertaking the activities.  You agree that you know, understand and appreciate the health and other risks that are inherent to access to and activities on the property.  You acknowledge, agree and understand that your entry is strictly voluntary, and you assume the risks associated with your entry and the activities in which you will be participating.  

(ii)  You, and you alone, are solely responsible for taking proper care to limit your risk of injury or damage to your property.  You knowingly and voluntarily do hereby agree to indemnify, hold harmless, release, acquit, waive, forever discharge, covenant not to sue and defend GCA, its employees, contractors, agents, board of directors, members and any related affiliate and/or subsidiary entities (collectively “GCA Parties”) from and against (1) any and all losses, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including without limitations, any reasonable fees and expenses of its attorneys and consultants)(collectively “Losses”) incurred by you or anyone on the property with you (collectively “Indemnifying Parties”) relating to or arising out of any complaints, claims, demands or causes of action of every kind and character (including, without limitation, personal injury and property damage claims)(collectively “Claims”) as a result of or incident to the properties or any activities on the properties, and (2) any Losses incurred by GCA Parties relating to or arising out of any Claims as a result of or incident to your presence or activities on the properties.   

(iii)  You acknowledge and agree that this section is intended to include your agreement to indemnify the GCA Parties from their own potential negligence.  

1. Participants Under Age 18.  You hereby acknowledge that these terms and conditions apply to any child of yours or of which you are a guardian (collectively “Children”) and that by entering the properties you have agreed to the terms and conditions on the Children’s behalf and on your own behalf as it relates to any Children. 

2. Use of GCA Property, Facilities and/or Equipment.  In the event that you use GCA property, facilities or equipment (collectively “Property”), you agree to (1) assume the risk of loss or damage for all such Property while in your care, custody or control, (2) take all reasonable precautions to protect the Property against loss, damage, theft or disappearance while in your care, custody or control, and (3) take no actions, which affect GCA’s title or interest in such Property.  

3. Governing Law.  The relationship of the parties hereto and all claims arising out of or related to that relationship, including, but not limited to, the application, construction and interpretation of these terms and conditions, will be governed by the substantive laws of the State of Texas.  The parties consent to exclusive venue in and the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in George West, Live Oak County, Texas and acknowledge that these courts are proper and convenient forums.  To the fullest extent permitted by law, if an action is filed in the appropriate court in George West, Live Oak County, Texas the parties waive any right to object to jurisdiction or venue in such court.  

4. Miscellaneous.  These terms and conditions constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior or contemporaneous oral or written agreements between you or the GCA Parties.  These terms and conditions shall be effective as of the date of entry by you onto any of the properties of the GCA.  These terms and conditions may not be modified or waived except in writing.  A waiver of any provision of these terms and conditions by a party will only apply to the occurrence involved and will not be construed as a continuing waiver. Failure or delay by a party to enforce these terms and conditions will not be construed as a waiver.  If any provision of these terms is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, it will be severed from the remainder of the terms, and the remainder of the terms will be enforced.   

 

Adopted September 16, 2023