When I was a freshman in high school, I discovered a thing called the “senior quote.”  Each senior had to pick a quote that would then be printed in the student newspaper along with their college choice.  I literally stressed over this quote for my three remaining years of high school.  It’s a lot of pressure.

An overwhelming number of students picked the typical Ferris Bueller quote. “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”  I mean, the movie was made at our high school, so it makes sense.  But it’s really quite predictable.  I finally settled on a line from one of my favorite Billy Joel songs.  “They say this highway’s going my way but I don’t know where it’s taking me.”   Pretty deep. Right?

I’m sure you’re now wondering what the hell this has to do with a cemetery tour.  I have a point, I do.  In short, I now feel the need to start obsessing over what my epitaph should be.

I was so excited to tour Orlando’s Greenwood Cemetery thanks to Yelp. (If you’re not on it, you should sign up just to get invited to cool events like this!) We literally lived a block from this cemetery at one point in Downtown Orlando and have never set foot inside.  Such a shame because we missed out.

The south gate outside Orlando’s Greenwood Cemetery.

The Who’s Who of Orlando is buried there.  All the names you know from Orlando streets; L.B. McLeod, T.G. Lee and so many more.  The tour was given by Don Price, the manager of the cemetery.  He’s a great guy who also runs the fabulous grounds.  The tour itself was like a walking tour through Orlando’s history.  (Don opens the cemetery for free moonlight tours once a month.)

Here are some of my favorite tidbits.  Yes I took notes:

• Samuel Robinson’s grave sits at the highest point in Orlando.  He was Orange County’s surveyor for more than 15 years.  Just feet away sits a very OLD sinkhole that is now a lake, and is also the lowest point withing Orlando.
• Nearby is Jessie Branch, who penned Orlando’s motto, “The City Beautiful” in 1908.
• Joe Tinker, the Hall of Fame Chicago Cubs shortstop who died in Orlando.  That’s where Orlando’s Tinker Field near the Florida Citrus Bowl gets its name.
• Buell Duncan, who headed SunTrust Bank into the 1990s is buried at Greenwood.  Price said if it wasn’t for him, Walt Disney World wouldn’t be here.  I love stories like this.
• We saw the grave of Frederick Burke father, father of famous Orlando-born actress Delta Burke.  Price said she still visits once-a-year.
• Francis Eppes, the favorite grandson of Thomas Jefferson and founder of what would become Florida State University is buried here.  Who knew?!

But perhaps my favorite part was the story of Allie “Boo” Dixon, a name no one on the tour recognized. Dixon invented the reflectors seen on most major highways and streets — they’re known as Dixon Highway Safety Markers. In the 1940s, Dixon installed 268 markers along Orange Avenue near Ivanhoe Village into Winter Park.  His epitaph reads: “The Light Shineth.”

I mean….how cool is that.

So start thinking of the legacy you want to leave behind.  And if you want to tour the cemetery yourself, and I highly recommend it, check it out here.