BELLMAWR – It’s a brisk day in this Month of Remembrance as 61-year-old Ron Ernharth begins his shift.
Driving the 20 minutes from his Washington Township home, he arrives to New Saint Mary Cemetery & Mausoleum around 7:30 in the morning and gets to work.
The leaves have fallen, and the grass is long, so time to start the mower. A burial has just passed, and a grave must be filled. Another burial is approaching, so a grave must be dug. A crucifix must be affixed to a mausoleum marker.
Five days a week, and on the occasional Saturday, Ernharth, foreman of this 50-acre cemetery in the shadow of I-295, and his team of three fieldworkers dedicatedly do these tasks – and more – to keep the areas around the graves, mausoleums and monuments pristine, respectful and dignified for its 20,000-plus occupants and the loved ones who visit.
He’s a man committed to practicing the corporal work of mercy to bury the dead, and modeling the teachings of Christ to respect the gift of life and comfort those who mourn.
“There’s always something here to do to help others,” the soft-spoken, genial cemetery veteran said, “and I’ll do whatever needs to be done.”
‘A Steady Hand’
Established in 1923, New Saint Mary Cemetery & Mausoleum began as a parish cemetery for those faithful of Saint Mary Church in Gloucester City, after Old Saint Mary Cemetery – opened in 1849 – was closed to new purchasers in 1932 due to being full.
Today, the two cemeteries, along with fourteen others across the Diocese of Camden, are run by South Jersey Catholic Cemeteries.
Calling Ernharth a “quiet leader with a steady hand who knows what needs to be done,” Paul Martin, director of South Jersey Catholic Cemeteries, mentioned the comments he’s received from families and visitors to the cemetery on the peace and beauty they find there.
“I take great comfort in knowing that their graves are cared for by such a great team,” Martin said. “We are blessed to have Ron.”
Born in Woodbury, Ernharth grew up with his family right across from Saint Mary Church. Graduating from its Catholic elementary school in 1978, he attended Gloucester Catholic High School, where, as a 17-year-old, he looked for his first job.
He and a friend were hired by then-Saint Mary pastor, Msgr. Edward Lucitt, to work part time cutting grass and filling holes at the Bellmawr cemetery.
“This job was valuable to me,” he reflected. “I enjoyed helping people.”
Ernharth worked there for two summers, before and after his senior year. After graduating from Gloucester Catholic High School in 1982, he started at Camden County College before moving on to Glassboro State College, receiving a degree in history in 1988.
After eight years in warehouse maintenance, he returned as a full-time fieldworker at New Saint Mary Cemetery & Mausoleum in 1996, and, in 2001, became foreman.
Where Silence Speaks
The work remains the same, but over the years, the tools and equipment of his trade have evolved. Backhoes reduced the need for labor-intensive shoveling, especially in winter, “where, with the cold and dry ground, it’s too hard by hand,” he said.
The lawnmowers have gotten smaller, or, in some cases, replaced by other tools.
“Weedwhackers are easier in some spots, to get around the stones,” Ernharth explained.
Even the markers have evolved, from the early uses of sandstone, which led easily to flaking and cracking, to more sturdy and robust granite.
Every day, he or one of his three fieldworkers – Joe, Tom and Junior – will walk the 1.5 miles up and around the property, sweeping dirt off gravestones when needed, or washing off monuments and benches.
Ernharth recalls the stories of those buried there, and their loved ones who visit. There is the old RCA Camden worker who visited his wife every day before joining her in death. There is the first marker ever placed in the cemetery in 1923 – that of 6-month-old Margaret C. Baptiste.
For the grieving, he understands he’s encountering them during one of the most difficult times in their lives, and he aims to provide solace in any way he can. His philosophy doesn’t waver, whether the mourned is one who passed away after a long life, or a young child taken away too soon.
“I see them at their lowest points, and I try to let them know I’m caring” for them and their deceased loved one, he continued. “I show them compassion and dignity,” in a kind word or by providing a listening ear.
A Corporal Work of Mercy
Close to home for Ernharth on the cemetery grounds is his beloved mother, Eleanor, who died in 2022. There’s sadness, but hope in the Resurrection.
“I visit her every day,” he said. “I’ll go and talk to her. I know she sees me and hears me.”
His in-laws, John and Mary Meade, are also buried there, and one day his father, Ronald, will be as well.
“There’s a sacredness here,” he added.
On particularly difficult days, Ernharth enjoys walking among the crypts, niches, monuments and stones. “There’s peace, and quiet.”
Apart from the occasional back pain – “I’ve picked up a lot of stones here,” he explained – the foreman remains physically fit for duty.
“This work keeps me moving and active,” he said, quick to express gratitude for his three fieldworkers. “They do a great job here, always going above and beyond.”
Not slowing down anytime soon, Ernharth will continue digging, sweeping, lifting, hammering and listening. A man of mercy.
“Just caring for others motivates me. I want people to know their loved ones are taken care of here, and they don’t have to worry about anything.”
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