It’s a place where loved ones are laid to rest — but some families say there's no rest in knowing what’s become of the grounds. The Vicente A. Limtiaco Memorial Cemetery, also known as Tiguac, is under the care of the Department of Parks & Recreation but has been left in disarray, despite a contract with a lawn and grounds company paid to maintain it.  For almost three months, that company failed to show up, and while the grass was finally cut just days ago, families say comfort cuts needs to be held to their contract.

Sometimes it’s a quiet, spontaneous visit. Joan Alcantara says she doesn’t always plan to go - but when she’s near, she’ll stop by island cemeteries to pay respects to her loved ones and ancestors. On this day, she stopped at the Tiguac on Nimitz Hill, and what she saw left her stunned.

"I didn’t expect to see what I saw, but I still made my way. It’s very disheartening to see the grounds unkept, unmaintained," she told KUAM News. She says it wasn’t just a few things out of place — it was a mess.

"There was trash and trash bags. There was debris…it’s a compilation of old floral arrangements," she added. She says she’s not just speaking for herself, but for every family with someone buried there, saying, "I think as a community, we need to know how the grounds are kept — and should be kept."

“I think it's just disrespectful that it was like that, and I pray and hope they clean it up the way it should be cleaned up.”

What stood out most to her was the sight of nature overtaking remembrance. "I did see that there was a tree and a tombstone, and that tree grew wild. It’s really sad — because whoever that is, I just want them to know they are not forgotten. I hope that is cleaned up," she said.

Following Alcantara’s visit, KUAM News sent a Freedom of Information Act request to the Parks & Rec, asking for the maintenance contract for the cemetery. Agncy director Angel Sablan said, “Tiguac, or the Limtiaco Cemetery, is under the purview of the Department of Parks & Recreation. But we also do have a private contract that is responsible for the cutting of the grass at that cemetery."

That contract belongs to Comfort Cuts and Lawn Maintenance, owned by Frankie Rosalin. It calls for twice-a-month lawn service during the dry season (January through June), and three times a month during the rainy season (July through December).

"As far as upkeep with the trees and making more space for additional burials — that’s DPR’s responsibility," Sablan added. "We try as best we can, and though we have a contractor, we do help when we can, especially where the contractor cannot due to the terms of their contract."

Under the agreement, Comfort Cuts is required to mow, trim, prune, and clear debris. The total contract is worth $24,750. When KUAM asked when the last service was provided, DPR said January. But this past weekend, Comfort Cuts reportedly returned to the site.

Alcantara hopes this visit — and the attention it’s received — leads to real change. She said, “That there will be awareness to GovGuam agencies that are responsible for this — and contractors — they should put their love into cleaning up and maintaining. Because if it was their family, I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t want to go up there and see it’s not manned."

For Alcantara, it’s not about pointing fingers — it’s about honoring the people who came before us, and making sure they’re not forgotten.