Have you ever found old shopping receipts? It's like you can barely tell where they are from because the ink has faded so much. Someone once told me they use special "disappearing ink" (there is likely a more professional term for the ink they use, but I don't know it) that fades to make it more difficult to return items to the store. Isn't that odd? 

I find it so sad that things are not designed or manufactured to be permanent anymore. In fact, nothing is permanent anymore. Social media platforms go out of style and slowly disappear, websites and servers go down, brick and mortar stores pack up and become cyber stores- nothing is truly permanent anymore. Nothing, that is, except for cemeteries.

Cemeteries are sacred, legally protected places; the only place where a permanent record of one's existence and legacy truly exists. In the cemetery, stones may span hundreds of years old and tell the stories of those we never met but are impacted by on a daily basis. I am constantly amazed that I get to work on such an important piece of our local and regional history each day!

And, I don't know about you, but I believe in preserving history. Especially family history. It helps us understand who we are & where we come from. Handling such important history is something that I love! With that said, it is important to me that each family's memorial be permanently beautiful. When I work on a memorial, I want it to be just as beautiful tomorrow as it was yesterday. 

But for a memorial to remain permanently beautiful, consider the following advice.

1. Work With a Professional

Several years ago, I received a phone call from a woman who had lost her baby girl. She had had a monument made by a cheap, online monument shop, and the design and the text identifying her sweet girl were no longer visible.

"I want people to know who my child was," she sobbed into the phone.

I assured her that I would take a look at the stone and see what we could do. And when I got to the cemetery, I was absolutely appalled by what I found.

The original monument-maker had obviously cut several corners when making this baby's memorial. The shop had not bothered to understand the color contrast in the granite they were working with. They had chosen a light gray granite stone, which has very little contrast and requires a shallow "frosted" surface be created and then a deep "v" cut carving added to the top of it to achieve a contrast. But, rather than take the time and materials needed to achieve the proper carving, the shop used a shallow carving directly on the polished surface of the stone. And, to top it off, they used a cheap automotive paint to cover up their poor work. Talk about abhorrent!

The result? The automotive paint came out, and the text and design became practically invisible.

Unfortunately for this devastated mother, starting over and doing the job right was the best option.

2. Think About Forever

This memorial will be viewed by generations that do not yet exist. What do you want them to know about their ancestors? 

Consider using a combination of text and symbols to tell the story of who your loved one was and how they made a difference in the lives of those they knew. Symbols indicating faith, career contributions, social belongings, and even hobbies are commonly used on the monuments we make. 

In addition to symbols, we often use text to tell more about who the person was. For example, it is fairly common to list relationships on the back side of the stone. Verbiage such as "Loving Mother of" followed by a list of the kids' names is very common. 

Other common uses of text on monuments include incorporating verses, song lyrics, poems, and even original pieces created by the deceased. 

Whatever story you choose to tell, it is important that you work with a reputable professional for the reasons listed above. After all, no one wants to lose their story to time!

At Emerson Monument Company, our reputation of providing high-quality memorials began in 1914. Over the years we have seen many technological changes, but our commitment to quality has never changed. 

We are proud members of the Monument Builders of North America, where we must adhere to a professional code of ethics to maintain membership. Additionally, Alison Raymer, co-owner of Emerson Monument Company, holds the highly esteemed Certified Memorialist designation. She is one of only two Certified Memorialists in the State of Arkansas and the only Certified Memorialist in Northwest Arkansas.