The dead are becoming a part of the business world.

Thanks to a generation that doesn’t care much for century old heroes, or future as of yet unknown heroes, a Naperville cemetery is looking at the business side to potential grave sites.

When the cemetery was first conceived in the minds of Naperville settlers in 1842, it was to be situated far from the general populace. Since then, the cemetery has been surrounded by a booming suburb.

Now the cemetery “perpetual-care” fund is fading and no one is helping to fill it. Some Naperville residents blame this on the younger generations who don’t seem to think a graveyard is worth preserving.

To solve the problem, the cemetery trustees devised a plan to sell seven (unused) plots of the 20 plots of land at the site to an office developer, and use the profits to keep the cemetery in tip-top shape.

Well, it seems the trustees have everything under control with this tidy compromise. However, this situation brings up an interesting issue. What ever happened to respect for the dead?

If the trustees are willing to compromise now when the suburb is just starting to grow, what happens when the growth doesn’t stop. No suburb is too keen on the idea of stagnation.

The battle is on. Business vs. the dead and buried. But remember, you can’t take it with you.