Susan Barr - Special to the Sun

When does a love story start? Is it when you’re a young man of twenty and you meet the girl of your dreams? Is it when she finally agrees to be your wife? Or is it when you get married at a little wedding chapel in Las Vegas? One thing is for sure; Patsy was the love of her husband, Cecil Goad’s life. After 48 years of marriage and six children, the two still enjoyed each others company more than anyone else’s.

When she became ill in the fall of 2005, they wanted to make the most of whatever time they had left together. Nineteen months later, she lost her battle with congestive heart disease and a chronic lung condition. With his life long companion no longer by his side, Goad wanted to find a way to honor his wife’s memory. For him, that meant designing and painstakingly building what he and his family have come to call Patsy’s 'Memory Spot.' Over several months, the family constructed a touching memorial at the Kern River Valley Cemetery. Their inspiration was the spirited woman who had been deeply loved by four generations of her family.

The Goad family’s “Memory Spot” at Kern River Valley Cemetery prior to it being vandalized.

Goad visits the cemetery almost daily to spend a few minutes near the final resting place of his love. Sometimes, he even takes his lunch along with him. Though such devotion to a loved one’s memory is rare, that’s not what makes this story noteworthy. During the last several months, Goad’s memorial to his wife has been vandalized at least three times by some unknown person or persons. Besides the obvious heartache this has caused the sixty nine year old Goad and the rest of his family, the financial cost also has not been insignificant. The memorial, which cost approximately $2,500 to build, has sustained significant damage since the vandalism began in late March. Though he is determined to maintain the tribute to his wife, the continual repairs have started to cause a financial drain.

Goad has taken his concerns to the cemetery administration and though sympathetic, they say there is little they can do as the attacks are happening during daytime visiting hours when the gates are open to all. Cemetery Manager, Randy Kyt, told the family that he was willing to install a camera to provide surveillance of the area and hopefully catch the vandals on film. As of yet, the camera has not been installed. A concerned Goad noted that 'I’m not the only one with a wife out there. Everyone in this valley should be concerned by what is going on.'

The Goad family is taking the situation very seriously and has reported the vandalism to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office on two separate occasions. If caught, the vandals could face felony charges and incarceration in a state penitentiary. Charmain Stuck, Goad’s daughter, summed up the family’s feelings regarding the situation. 'It’s heart-wrenching to go the cemetery and not be able to put something on a grave without worrying it’s going to be stolen or damaged.'

The family is now considering offering a reward in hopes that it will lead to an arrest and conviction. In the meantime, Goad and his family continue to visit the cemetery frequently. It’s there that they feel closest to the woman whom they all remember with such fondness.