Staff Writer
In 1982, Dave Madej, 18, took a summer job at St. John's Cemetery in Schenectady as a groundskeeper. At the time, it seemed to be a "good part-time job" until something better came along, he said.
Twenty years later, Mr. Madej -- now a husband, father of four and grandfather of one -- is still grooming the lawns of a Catholic cemetery in Schenectady.
The difference is that he does the job full-time, has added many more tasks to his job description and holds a management position.
Moving up
Now the senior grounds foreman for Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery, Mr. Madej is responsible for the day-to-day field operations at the rural cemetery located on the Troy-Schenectady Road in Niskayuna.
Visitors who admire freshly mowed lawns and the neat appearance in the summer, or who are grateful for the plowed roads and snow-cleared walks in the winter can thank him and his staff.
According to Timothy Putorti, assistant director of the Albany diocesan cemeteries and manager of Most Holy Redeemer, that staff includes full-time Teamsters from Local 294 and part-time, seasonal employees, who are usually college or high school students. They do the same type of work Mr. Madej did when he started out.
More to do
His responsibilities now go much farther than maintaining lawns and plowing roads. Mr. Madej is responsible for "digging most of the graves as the main backhoe operator at Most Holy Redeemer," said Mr. Putorti.
"As a working foreman, he is also responsible for installation of all grave markers and the foundations for the monuments that must be the right depth," he added.
Mr. Putorti told The Evangelist that since 1987 when the cemetery built its first mausoleum, Mr. Madej has also done the lettering for the names of the deceased on the crypts and tombs, and for the placement of bronze crypt emblems in the mausoleums. With the recent completion of a new mausoleum last year, the number of crypts now totals 2,616.
Exacting work
"David does all that work, and the lettering has to be exact and precise," said Mr. Putorti. "He is a busy man."
Mr. Putorti credited Mr. Madej's work as always precise and consistent.
"When you look at the work he did back in 1987 and then at what he does today, it is exact. That's what is required with that job. He has a very steady hand, and we all think he does a fine job," said Mr. Putorti. "David has always been someone that is dependable, reliable and trustworthy. He's a good man and an excellent employee."