Come Explore: • Cemeteries • Lives Behind Forgotten Graves • Cemetery Ghost Stories — with Lex Wahl
Episode 3
In Episode #3 of Tombstone Shadows, we take a visit to the Riverview Cemetery in Saint Joseph, Michigan.
History: A background on the Riverview Cemetery, including a major air disaster that involved the cemetery.
Ghost Experiences: There are no ghost experiences that I could find, regarding the Riverview Cemetery.
Tombstone Shadows Investigations in Ep. 3: (grave locations follow name)
John Collins Gillespie (Dec. 15 1939 to Jan. 25, 1994) The life of a one time very popular sheriff deputy in the St. Joseph, Michigan area, and how his life ended. (RC-10-22-8)
Newspaper article showing Deputy Gillespie surveying scene where a young child died after painting toys with a flammable liquid (about a week before Christmas).
The popular local sheriff deputy is honored by citizens who setup a fund raising event for his kidney operation.
Gillespie's home was on this empty lot. He lived there with his wife for several years. It appears he also had a small beach house to the rear of the home. I'm not sure why it was torn down. I found no articles about it burning down. A brand new home was put there around 2018.
Duane Allen Christianson (Jan. 10, 1955 to May 20, 1975) Duane’s father disappears in Minnesota at the age of 30, and his mother moves the young family of four to Michigan. (RC-6-21-1)
The Christianson family moved to this home in the mid 60's. They were a family of eight by 1970. Not sure but it appears Duane's stepfather and his mother may have split up in later years. Neither one was buried near the three children who passed at an early age, and both had different addresses at their own deaths.
This is the home where Duane passed away in the afternoon at 20 years old. It was listed as the home of Ron Peak (whom called for help). A few years later, Duane's younger brother moved here to live with Ron. Both Ron and Duane's brother ran into trouble with the law at that period.
Roxanne's likeness, and a photo of the wreckage after she collided with a tree on Lincoln in St. Joseph, at close to 1:30 AM on Friday night (Saturday morning). She was 18 years old. Dec 17, 1977.
This is Lincoln, the street on which Roxanne skidded 100 yards and ran into a tree. This would have been the last thing she saw (at night), as she was killed in the accident. News said there was a 40% chance of rain that day, and at the time she was on the road it was possibly 30 degrees; so it could have been black ice that caused the skid——however, this was at 1:30 AM on a Friday night, and she was driving 2 miles south away from her home. I'm not sure what the toxicology reports were.
George Edward Schultz (Oct 23, 1942 – Jan 21, 1960) A drive with three fellow high school students, turns into a terrible disaster. (RC-6-139-4)
The bodies of two of the teens who were thrown 200-400 feet are beneath the blankets. A hearse parked to the right.
The crumpled 1954 Oldsmobile where George perished (his two passengers were thrown 200-400 feet). The 1954 Olds was moved from the tracks to allow another train to pass.
Here is the Railroad crossing on Lake Street. The high school is up about 1/4 mile on the right.
The service station where one of the teens was dropped off. The railroad crossing can be seen up ahead.
If you visit…! If you live near or plan to visit any of our Tombstone Shadows Investigation graves, please leave a flower, and take a photo. We will post it with the episode, and send you a “Tombstone Shadow Investigator” sticker.
If you visit…!