Honoring the Forgotten

Memorial service planned for deceased patients of former Westborough State Hospital

The northeast corner of Pine Grove Cemetery in Westborough is the site for more than 500 graves for patients with mental health challenges who resided at the Westborough State Hospital from the early 1900s up to 1987. Until now, no one knew the names of the buried, their birth dates, or any other identifying information. The graves are unmarked, mostly Xs in concrete, sunken into the ground, covered with grass and weeds – out of sight, and out of mind for most people. But on Saturday, May 9, at 2 pm the deceased will all finally be honored at a memorial service at the Pine Grove Cemetery, 106 South Street, Westborough.

For years, former hospital board of trustees member Glenn Malloy has been advocating for a proper memorial to show respect to the individuals that died at Westborough. He and a group of dedicated volunteer committee members are passionate about removing the stigma associated with mental illness, for patients and their families, and properly honoring the deceased by creating a permanent memorial.

“This is an opportunity to educate people about stigma, and the intrinsic worth of all people,” says Malloy. He also hopes that families of the deceased, who previously may not have made burial provisions for their relatives, will see press about the ceremony and developing fundraising campaign for the physical memorial and get involved.

This grassroots effort began with inspiration from a similar memorial at Medfield State Hospital several years ago. Malloy is joined by the town cemetery director, Don Gale; the head of the Selectmen of Westborough, George Barrette; architect Ed Clinton (whose late brother was afflicted with mental illness); Advocates’ own Sarah Utka; and many others. All have devoted tremendous time and energy to the project, from  researching the names of the buried and garnering support from state and local organizations to speaking with media, and of course, designing the memorial.

The plans for the physical memorial include five large granite slabs, each with bronze plating engraved with the names of 100 of the deceased. The volunteer committee will amp up their efforts after the memorial service and execute a fundraising campaign, with a goal of bringing in $30,000 for materials and labor.

The ceremony on May 9 will feature a bagpipe performance and speakers who have been involved in the mental health field as advocates, leaders, and former Westborough patients. Among the speakers will be Diane Gould, president and CEO of Advocates, and Nancy Kehoe, author of Wrestling with Our Inner Angels. 

“This is just the beginning," says Malloy. "This is an opportunity, not just to acknowledge people in the past who have been recipients of injustice, but to look at the past, where we missed the mark, to look at the present, how far we’ve come, and where to go in the future.”

All are invited to attend the memorial service. For more information, contact Glenn Malloy at 508-877-2104 or Sarah Utka at 508-320-5120.