SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Ninety-three years after the death of historically respected Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne, his casket was exhumed and reburied at Notre Dame's Cedar Grove Cemetery.
Mr. Rockne coached from 1918 to 1931 and won three national championships before dying in a plane crash in 1931. He was 43 years old. His Mass was celebrated on April 4, 1931 at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Notre Dame, now the Basilica of the Sacred Heart.
Locken's grave, along with those of his wife, son and grandson, was moved from Highland Cemetery in South Bend to Cedar Grove Cemetery on the Notre Dame campus. Paul Doyle, CSC, April 28th.
The University of Notre Dame released a statement regarding support for the Rockne family.
“At the request of the Rockne family, the University of Notre Dame has the honor of cremating the remains of football player, coach, and athletic director Knute Rockne and several members of the Rockne family from Highland Cemetery in South Bend and assisting with their subsequent burial. “Cedar Grove Cemetery is located on campus,” the statement said. “The church prayed for the repose of their souls during their reburial.”
opinion: Notre Dame's football coaching legend is (finally) back at home on campus.
Tricia Sloma, morning anchor for Tribune news partner WNDU-TV, attended the reburial and spoke with Locken's family about the decision to move the grave decades later.
“The reburial brought comfort to many families,” said Sloma, who shed tears during the burial and said that while the reburial was heavy, it also felt like a burden had been lifted. .
“My family seemed relieved that I had finally gotten to this point with college,” she said. “The surviving relatives buried their parents' ashes in this family plot. They were saying goodbye to mom and dad again. Knowing the family heritage and surname, it's very heavy. I feel like all my burdens were lifted yesterday.”
While attending the reburial, Sloma spoke with Rockne's granddaughter, Jeanne Anne Rockne, who said that relocating the grave had been discussed for decades, but that her father had opposed it.
WNDU reported that Rockn's seven surviving grandchildren made the decision to relocate the grave.
Cedar Grove Cemetery is open to the public from dawn until dusk. Videos or photos are permitted for private or personal use only.
Email Tribune staff writer Camille Sarabia. csarabia@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared in the South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame football legend Knute Rockne, family reinterred on campus
