PARKERSBURG — Cynthia Buskirk, a local historian who charted the history of the area, has passed away.
Buskirk was involved with the James Wood Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) as well as the Sumner Museum.
She has also published several books and papers on local cemeteries. Among those are the Riverview/Riverside/Cook Cemetery in Parkersburg, the Neale Cook Cemetery in Vienna, and Henderson Cemetery in Boaz.
Her work includes the head stone readings, obituaries and much other factual information on the person’s important historical connection to the area.
“She did a lot for history in the area, but didn’t always get a lot of credit for it,” said Bob Enoch, President of the Wood County Historical Society.
“I was so sad to hear about her passing,” he said. “She did a lot of work for cemeteries throughout the county.
“Cemetery work was her thing.”
She was involved with the Historical Society a lot, and usually did her own projects. She was also involved with the Sumner Museum.
She was involved with the Wood County Historical Landmarks Commission since March of 2000 where she was appointed by the Wood County Commission.
“She was a hard worker who really loved history and served in many ways,” Enoch said. “She will definitely be missed.”
Dina Braniff of the DAR said Buskirk was a charter member of the Wood County Victorian Society and was named a West Virginia History Hero in 2004 by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History.
She volunteered at the Oil and Gas Museum and at Henderson Hall. She had an interest in the cemeteries of African-Americans throughout the region. She did a two-volume book, called “People of Color: Cemeteries and Short History” and includes cemeteries in West Virginia, Ohio, Virginia and points beyond. She worked on it with others involved in history in the area, including Henry Burke, Ray Swick and others.
Braniff said Buskirk was truly dedicated to history in the area and preserving it correctly.
“She really spread herself thin in making sure everyone was recognized,” she said of making sure people knew what was happening in the area.
If Rae Browne of the Sumner Museum needed volunteers for a project, Buskirk would gather people to get it done.
“She was especially dedicated to the Sumner Museum,” Braniff said. “She could call and get 20 people to come easy.”
One of the last times she talked to Buskirk, she was told no matter how busy she was or if she had to reduce her commitments to “always reserve space for the Sumner Museum because someone has to see it get back on its feet.”
Braniff also described Buskirk as “a cookie maker extraordinaire” for various events around local museums and gatherings.
She was regularly encouraging people to support local history through a variety of efforts. She was also involved with Christmas activities in the City of Vienna. She also helped a lot of local sites get on the National Registry of Historical Places.
“It is endless with what she was involved in,” Braniff said. “She was always involved with things in Wood County and beyond.”
Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com
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