From Philly Burbs

Dee Blake is surrounded by death.

Just outside her office window are the graves of nearly 50,000 veterans, their spouses and children, dating as far back as the Revolutionary War.

Ironically, Blake, 75, said she never thinks about her own mortality.

"I never think of age," she said. "I must think I'm going to live forever."

Friday was Blake's last day as director of Beverly National Cemetery. Blake said she is moving on to work as director of a national cemetery in Sara-toga, N.Y., for one year before retiring.

She served as director of the 65-acre landmark off Beverly-Bridgeboro Road for 14 years.

...

Blake's tenure was not always easy. In 1997, Andrew Cunanan murdered a Finn's Point caretaker during a cross-country killing spree. Cunanan later killed fashion designer Gianni Versace in Miami Beach.

"That was really stressful," she said. "There was national coverage on that. Just when things were starting to settle down, he murdered the fashion designer and then it started up again."

...

Blake said no burial stands out as more memorable than any other during her 14 years at Beverly National.

"All burials are important," she said. "It doesn't matter someone might have a great title or is wealthy. Every veteran is entitled to that respect."

-- JOSH BERNSTEIN, "Burlington County Times", June 14, 2004