I *purchased* a tombstone today.

[greatauntoftriplets]

It was for my mother's grave, she died 12/28/05 one week short of her 94th birthday. A very strange experience, but the people there made it extremely easy.

We (my sister and I) chose a very simple black granite marker (cemetery requires that it be flat to the ground) with only her name, year of birth, year of death, and a cross. I suggested replacing the cross with a martini glass (my mother liked martinis far more than religion), but my very Catholic sister didn't find it funny.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. Funny on the martini glass

Glad you got to honor your mother's gravesite with an appropriate marker though.

My condolences on your loss.

(and make sure to always tell my buddy, LL hi when you see him)

[greatauntoftriplets]

2. Thanks.

It was fast, but at Christmastime, which isn't good.

I'll pass the greetings along.

[grannylib]

3. That sounds lovely and tasteful..although I bet she would have liked the

martini glass!
My sympathies to you in the loss of your mom...bet picking out the stone brought back some memories.

I wanted to put a cow on my daughter's; she loved them and collected them, but we went with roses in each corner (her fave flower) and her name, year of birth-death, and "Beloved Mother, Daughter and Fiance'" on it.

Glad to hear that the people at the monument place were good to you...it really makes a difference to have someone supportive in these situations.

[greatauntoftriplets]

7. Oh, she would have!!!

Due to meds that she took, she had not been able to drink them for years.

[Fenris]

4. Black granite is lovely.

When I get a chance, I'll send you the pictures I took at the old Tacoma Cemetery on Memorial Day. A lot of beautiful, imposing Celtic standing crosses stained green by years of rain. Really a site to behold.

:hug:

[greatauntoftriplets]

6. Thanks...

I'd love to see them. My mother was not Irish, but my father was. Her parents were from Luxembourg. His funeral cards had a Celtic cross on them.

They had markers with Celtic crosses on them at the place we went to today. I liked them, but my mother was 100% Luxembourgisch.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

5. My aunt has a cat on her tombstone.

She was showing it off at my grandfather's funeral. My mom went with the more traditional Celtic cross for hers.

[greatauntoftriplets]

9. A Celtic cross would have been very appropriate for my father...

except that we got him a VA marker, since he served in World War II.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

13. My dad has a Celtic Cross on his, but he didn't pick it out.

My mom & his stepdad picked it out. I find it pretty bizarre that my mom & her sister decided to pre-emptively buy their headstones and put them in the cemetary. Last week, we were driving past a place that sold them and I couldn't help but say, "Hey, mom it's a headstone store. Let's stop. I wanna pick one up."

[greatauntoftriplets]

15. I've seen that as well.....

I think it's creepy.

My mother would never have approved of buying her marker before she died!!! She is probably pissed that we did this today, though she knew she was going to die when she died. When we arrived at the hospital early in the morning, she kept waving goodbye at us. As long as she could.

[flamingyouth]

8. It sounds lovely

Sorry you had to do it - never an easy task, I know. Glad the people there at least made the experience easy for you. :hug:

[greatauntoftriplets]

11. Thanks. It was not easy.

And tomorrow is the 14th anniversary of my father's death, which is never easy.

We are going up to the country where my nephew lives with his girlfriend and kids to celebrate her and her oldest son's 10th birthday. Unfortunately, it is supposed to be a barbecue...and near 100 degrees here tomorrow....and Kelly's parents are not well and well into their 70s. Maybe we will stay in the house with central AC more tomorrow. No matter what, I am taking a sun hat.

The granite, which I liked and my sister agreed to, is similar to the stone used in the Vietnam Memorial...or which I have a leftover piece. Long story....but the piece of the wall (since I lived through Vietnam) is a prized possession.

[texanwitch]

10. I have been looking for a tombstone for my grandfather who died

in the 1932. All that he has is a metal marker that the cemetery provides, I was shocked to find this out.

I have never visited his grave before, he is buried in another town.

He will have something decent, I will be there when the tombstone is put up.

[greatauntoftriplets]

12. Good luck to you...

The memorial place called me and sent me info months and months ago...January, in fact. But then never bothered me again. Which was nice. The cost isn't bad. We also inquired about having the big monument going back 90 years restored and they will check that out and get back to us about it.

[texanwitch]

14. I am looking for one with a native american look, my grandfather

was full blood native american.

I now have pictures of him now, this is the reason for the headstone.

He not just a name anymore.

[greatauntoftriplets]

16. The place we were at today had headstones with photos...

They are done lots these days, apparently. My mother would have hated it.

Good luck with your grandfather. What nation did he belong to? I have Iroquois forebearers, going back many, many years.

[texanwitch]

17. My grandfather was Sioux, I don't know anymore then that.

My grandmother had a lot of native american in her side of the family, they came from the south.

[greatauntoftriplets]

18. Like you, I don't know much either....

It was so long ago. Some of my Irish relatives went to France about 1690 and then to Quebec during th3 1700s. Somehow the descendants made it to Illinois (we have no clue when) and married someone from what is now the far western suburbs in the 1850s.

[texanwitch]

20. My grandmother's side of the family came from Scotland and Ireland.

They came very early and settled in the south, mixed with the native population.

Mix that with that Germany and Czech, I am a real mixed American.

[greatauntoftriplets]

19. Wow..

Maybe we are related. Though non of my family moved to Texas until the 1980s. But our families sound so damn familiar.

[texanwitch]

21. Could be.

The population back then wasn't that large.