Volume VII - Spring 2026
The News from Island Cemetery
Serving Newport’s families for over 175 years …
2026 Happenings and Events at Newport Island Cemetery
As we move through 2026, we are pleased to share an update on the work underway around the cemetery. From essential preservation projects to long-term planning, the staff and trustees are working to ensure that Island Cemetery remains a place of dignity, beauty, and continuity.
Grounds & Preservation Work
The winter blizzard certainly left its mark. Our grounds and operations team have been busy actively addressing both short term and longterm needs including:
Tree Care & Storm Response:
Heavy snowfall and strong winds created deep drifts that reshaped paths, obscured monuments, and damaged a number of branches and small trees. Significant tree work has been completed, including the removal of a large declining ash tree near Vicksburg Pl, the removal of the remainder of the silver maple at Van Zandt and Farewell Street, and cleanup of storm-damaged areas. Additional removals and pruning are scheduled to ensure safety and long-term landscape health.Frank Amaral, Grounds Manager, contracted with both T.J. Brown and Atlantic Lawn and Garden to get the primary access routes opened and to prepare for two winter burials.
Snow accumulation on older headstones accelerated surface weathering where water seeped into cracks and refroze, and drifting around foundation stones increased the risk of settling in low-lying plots.
Overall, the blizzard underscored the importance of proactive grounds management. We will continue to prioritize safety, preservation of historic monuments, and resiliency of the landscape as we plan repairs and implement preventive measures in the months ahead.
Seasonal Planting Initiative and Memorial Opportunity:
In collaboration with the Newport Tree Conservancy, we were awarded 17 new trees and have completed a new round of tree planting. Because of this partnership, we are able to offer a special opportunity to those who would like to memorialize a loved one with a tree to remember and honor them.
Contact our office to learn which trees are available and to arrange a private visit. As you walk around the grounds, you will spot them by the green gator watering bags at the bases and the identification tags affixed to the trunks.
Burials & Family Services
We continue to provide burial services with care and professionalism:
Several recent burials—including a complex disinterment—were completed successfully, with thoughtful attention to families and site conditions.
Follow-up work, including gravestone replacement.
Island Cemetery remains the only fully operational cemetery in the immediate area with the staff and equipment to carry out burials—serving not only our grounds but also the neighboring Common and Braman Cemeteries.
Community Engagement
Successful Clean-up Day April 25, 2026 - Earth Week Litter Free RI Project from Governor Dan McKee and First Lady Susan McKee
From Beth Cullen’s Facebook page “Productive morning at Friends of Island Cemetery Newport celebrating Earth Week…we raked 80+ bags of leaves with old friends and enjoyed meeting new ones along the way.”
Volunteers from Salve Regina, community groups, and partnering organizations joined us to care for the grounds—an inspiring day of shared stewardship.
Thanks to the great turnout and the manpower contributed by our volunteers, more than 80 bags of leaves are ready for removal from the grounds.
Salve Regina historic restoration students attended a stone restoration training session with Professor van den Kurk, Zachary Russell and Zzaivon Serrano and Kevin Mello of Gravestone Care RI, LLC. They, along with others tackled some of the most in need monuments north of the columbarium and along the main road to the Chapel. Paul Radion of Veterans of Foreign Wars and several helpers worked to compost the wreaths placed on military gravesites during the winter.
We thank all of our volunteers and partnering organizations for chipping in during our annual spring cleanup and Earth Week Litter Free RI event.
Belmont Chapel Hosts the Japanese Ambassador to the United States
Shigeo Yamada, Japan’s ambassador to the United States, visited Newport on April 20 to pay his respects at Commodore Matthew Perry’s grave and to attend a reception at the Belmont Chapel. Yamada’s visit was organized by the Japan America Navy Friendship Association-Newport.
Master of Ceremonies Steve Aveson greeted Yamada and welcomed him to Newport. The Japan-America Society of Southern New England’s president, retired Navy Capt. Rob Dahlin also greeted him. Capt. Tomoya Kawamura, Naval Attaché at the Japanese Embassy in Washington, D.C., and a member of the Friendship Association when he was a student at the U.S. Naval War College, Maryanne Brandmeier, president of the Japan-America Society and the Black Ships Festival of Rhode Island, were also in the welcoming party. Newport Mayor Charles Holder provided greetings from the city. Read more at Newport This Week, April 23, 2026 edition.
Public Programs & Events
Planning is underway for this season’s lectures, tours, and cultural programs. We begin the season in May with the Death & Dying series at Belmont Chapel offered on Thursday evenings from 7:00pm to 8:15pm.
Lew and Trudy Keen will present two special tours; the first, highlighting military graves on Memorial Day weekend and the second tour, based on the March lecture about Gilded Age African American gravesites.
And of course, you are invited to our 5th annual fundraiser, the Belmont Stakes Race Day Gala, to be held on June 6, 4:30pm to 7:30pm at the elegant Orchard Estate, located at 180 Narragansett Avenue in Newport, RI.
About this event
Step into Newport’s Gilded Age as we gather at the stunning “Orchard” estate for a festive Belmont Stakes simulcast on dual screens. Sip a signature Belmont Jewel, savor curated refreshments, and celebrate in one of Newport’s most iconic landscapes—while honoring the legacy of one of its most memorable historic figures.
Make the most of your Belmont Stakes experience—when purchasing your tickets, be sure to add $5 betting tokens and raffle tickets (5 for $20) for even more excitement and chances to win. Don’t forget to dress to impress—prizes will be awarded for the most stylish and creative attire!
Cemetery Guided Tours — Saturdays, 10:00 AM–11:30 AM
We are continuing our Saturday morning guided tours running from April through November.
Guided historical walks highlighting notable monuments, local families, and 18th–19th century funerary art.
Meet at the main gate; comfortable walking shoes recommended. Runs rain or shine; tours may be shortened for severe weather - $15 donation.
Notable people from the Gilded Age to modern times are at rest in Island Cemetery’s picturesque landscape.
Stroll our site or take a tour!
Guided Tours -$15 per person
Hear about important people and monuments and visit inside the Belmont Chapel.
Looking Ahead: The Cemetery District Initiative
Newport Cemetery District (Alliance)
A major focus of this year is the continued development of the collaborative effort among the seven historic, adjoining cemeteries. Alliance is made up of Island Cemetery, the City of Newport, the Cemetery Commission and partnering organizations.
This initiative will:
Establish a shared master plan for preservation and restoration of the grounds and the historically significant administration building and the maintenance garage
Support the long-term sustainability of these important historic landscapes
Island Cemetery is playing a leading role in this effort, building on decades of experience in operations and stewardship.
Highlights of African American Gilded Age Graves Tour
Saturday, June 20, 2026 @ 10:00 a.m.
As the City of Newport became the premier Gilded Age playground in America, a vibrant year-round African American community flourished. It was led by doctors, ministers, and businessmen. Some of these men got involved with local and national politics and became key figures in the early Civil Rights movement in America. The tour features some of the many people of African heritage that contributed to Newport’s history. The tour starts at the Belmont Chapel.