Cemetery Mysteries - Why Completing the Date of Death Matters

You may have had occasion to wander through a cemetery. Hopefully it was a peaceful experience, admiring the various headstones, stopping to examine those with interesting designs or verses. Some may even have had a picture, either lasered into the stone, or perhaps an enameled photo of the deceased, affixed and protected by a brass covering. Dates would have caught your eye too. Looking through a family section to determine who was married to who...who their children where. And perhaps there were even instances where you noticed that someone could not possibly still be alive, yet they had no date of death written on their headstone. Depending on the cemetery, there may even have been temporary markers (a stake in the ground with a laminated paper listing name and dates) stuck into the earth for those who have been deceased for years.

Of course, there are many reasons this may be the case. Sometimes, when a person is the end of the line, there is simply no one left to complete the information. Funds can certainly be an issue as well. Then there are always those good intentions, but a lack of follow through can lead to years passing without a completion of the dates. Consider though, how you would feel if the final part of your life was left in limbo.

Generations from now, there will certainly be no one left who knows the date of your passing. An incomplete headstone is akin to an unfinished novel - the last page is missing. There is also a certain symmetry that is lost when other family members have their monuments completed- perhaps with a meaningful phrase or scripture that provides a glimpse into who they were in life. Regardless of how long it has been, there is always time to complete these half-finished stones.

If the death has already occurred, speak with cemetery staff regarding pricing and options to finish the dates of death. Sometimes the charge is by the letter, sometimes it is a flat rate based on the dimension of the marker to be filled in. Some headstones are even designed with a separate “scroll” that has the information engraved on it, which is then affixed to the existing marker. Cemetery personal will be able to assist you with these details. They can also provide design proofs if the entire marker needs to be created. Depending on their cemetery regulations you have innumerable options as far as size, material, color, and text are concerned. As mentioned, you can include photos, poems, and any other meaningful tributes to your loved ones. And it does not always have to be a headstone. Family benches and cremation monuments are also examples of merchandise you can look into.

Remember that you can also pre-plan for these items for yourself. Pre-payment will guarantee that your date of death is completed, even if you are the end of your family line. Taking care of the finances now also means that your surviving family will not have to worry about making payments after your death. 

Article Submitted by:

Tim and Alison Dinan, Owners

Cook Family Funeral Home, Cremation Service, and Hillcrest Cemetery

206-842-2642

https://www.cookfamilyfuneralhome.com/ 

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