Mercersburg, Pennsylvania

Portraits Etched into Granite:  A family of four became a family of three with the loss of a son and brother. Not a day passes that they do not reflect on what might have been. Fairview Cemetery. [2010]

Earth, Texas

The Holy Estate of Matrimony ~ Wedding Bells Ring:  He was a veteran of World War II. She was a veteran of forty-three years of marriage. With three sons, their family must have been the best on Earth, that perfect post-war household of the 1950s. She saw to it that he was honored when he passed: "Strong, faithful, loving, and kind. What wonderful memories you left behind." Who will see to it that she is honored when her time comes? We probably know the answer to that question. Earth Cemetery. [2016]

Blanding, Utah

On Heaven's Menu ~ A Hershey's Kiss:  This one is made of granite, so it will never melt. Like a family's love, here's a dollop of chocolate that will last forever. What favorite food would you bring to heaven's table? How would your family answer that question if they were speaking for you? Blanding City Cemetery. [2013]

South Boston, Virginia

Commemorating the Demise of the Grist Mill:  The Hupps ran the mill outside of South Boston, and they made one of the bedstones part of their final resting place. Through the 'eye' of the stone, they may be able to see friends and family who come to visit. The mill is gone (lost to fire in 1942), but a shopping center keeps the name alive on the landscape of Southside Virginia. Oak Ridge Cemetery. [2012]

Hupp's Mill Post Card
http://www.oldhalifax.com/county/HuppsMill.htm

Worcester, Massachusetts

Jesus is the Reason for the Season:  Cemeteries are woven together by narratives of death: not exactly in keeping with a holy day that celebrates the birth of everlasting life. That may be the reason why gravestones never feature the infant Jesus, and rarely the boy. There are exceptions, however. In Roman Catholic cemeteries you sometimes find the Holy Family and the pre-adolescent Savior. Notre Dame Cemetery. [2013]

Moab, Utah

Signature Landscapes:  We want to make a difference.  We want to be remembered.  We want to put our signature on the world.  Why are signatures so rare on headstones?  In signing our names, we establish our identity.  Just think back to high school:  How many signatures did you try out before you found one that fit?  That's the one that made a difference.  That's the one that should leave a lasting impression on the world.  Grand Valley Cemetery.  [2013]

Cedar City, Utah

The Perfect Family:  Family is at the heart of Latter-Day-Saint society, and its eternal significance is seen in the burial places of the West. There seems to be a model Mormon headstone: (1) names and dates, (2) note of marriage date and when sealed, (3) Mormon temple profile, (4) list of offspring.  The theme of tender familial love makes its appearance on both sides of this headstone. [2009]

All because two people fell in love . . .

Brooksville, Kentucky

The Perfect Family:  Pictures pinned to headstones or propped on the ground are not uncommon on cemetery landscapes. Here, presumably, the not-so-recently departed gets to see her grandkids, none of whom were born when she died just short of her 50th birthday. Bracken Memorial Cemetery. [2013]

Together Forever

Normalville, Pennsylvania

The Perfect Family:  Hints of family strife are seldom seen on cemetery landscapes. In death, the family reverts to textbook normalcy. In fact, the theme of family love transcends the religious-secular divide on memorial markers: evidence that we see our place in society (and even the eternal society) as defined by family relationships. Normalville Cemetery. [2013]

Our Treasures