From the Wyuka Cemetery Tour Brochure:
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"A polished monument of black granite recalls the life and work of Gordon MacRae, actor and singer. He was best-known for his role as “Curly” in the movie Oklahoma, singing “Oh What a Beautiful Morning,” a measure of which is inscribed across the top of the stone. His credits also included Carousel, The Best Things in Life Are Free, and The Big Punch. He starred five times with Doris Day. Mr. MacRae adopted Lincoln as a family-friendly place to raise his daughter. He became a Nebraska football fan and sometimes sang the National Anthem for Cornhusker football games. He died in Lincoln in 1986 at age 64. At the base of the stone is an epitaph from a less successful actor who achieved greater prominence in his second career--in politics. President Ronald Reagan said that “Gordon will always be remembered wherever beautiful music is heard.” "
From Wikipedia:
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"Gordon MacRae (March 12, 1921 – January 24, 1986) was an American actor and singer, best known for his appearances in the film versions of two Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, Oklahoma! (1955) and Carousel (1956), and playing Bill Sherman in On Moonlight Bay (1951) and By The Light of the Silvery Moon (1953).
He made his Broadway debut in 1942, acquiring his first recording contract soon afterwards. Many of his hit recordings were made with Jo Stafford. It was in 1948 that he appeared in his first film, The Big Punch, a drama about boxing. He soon began an on-screen partnership with Doris Day and appeared with her in several films.
In 1950, he starred with Doris Day in "Tea for Two" (a reworking of "No, No, Nanette"), then in 1951, he starred again with Doris Day in On Moonlight Bay, followed by the 1953 sequel By the Light of the Silvery Moon. That same year, he also starred opposite Kathryn Grayson in the third film version of The Desert Song. This was followed by leading roles in two major films of Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, Oklahoma! (1955) and Carousel (1956), both films opposite Shirley Jones.
On radio, he was the host and lead actor on The Railroad Hour, a half-hour anthology series made up of condensed versions of hit Broadway musicals. Many of those programs were recorded later in popular studio cast albums: most of these recordings have been reissued on CDs.
MacRae appeared frequently on television, on such programs as The Martha Raye Show and The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford, both on NBC. On Christmas 1958, MacRae and Ford performed the Christmas hymn "O Holy Night". Earlier in 1958, MacRae guest starred on the short-lived NBC variety series, The Polly Bergen Show.
Thereafter, MacRae appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom, and The Bell Telephone Hour. He continued his musical stage career, often performing with his wife, as in a 1964 production of Bells Are Ringing, also performing as Sky Masterson in the popular musical Guys and Dolls, with his wife playing the role of Miss Adeleide, reprising her Broadway role. In the late 1960s he co-hosted for a week on The Mike Douglas Show. He also toured in summer stock and appeared in nightclubs. In 1967, he replaced Robert Preston in the original Broadway run of the musical I Do! I Do!, starring opposite Carol Lawrence, who had taken over the role from Mary Martin."
Lastly, from the Wyuka Cemetery website:
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"For over 140 years Wyuka Cemetery has played an integral part of the lives Nebraskans. During that time its grounds have been host to family gatherings of all kinds. To this day, our visitors tell us stories of their visits to Wyuka for celebrating birthdays and family reunions and celebrating the lives of their loved ones in death.
Wyuka is a Lakota Indian word meaning “to rest” and upon entering the grounds many tell us a “feeling of calm” comes over them. You are invited to tour the 140-plus rolling acres of trees, shrubs and flower gardens that make Wyuka Cemetery one of the most quietly beautiful places in our state."