Fort Collins, Colorado

Only the Good Die Young:  His epitaph reads: "Only the Good Die Young." The good in his heart is the subject of loving scrolls from his mother and sister, who probably also authored the one on his love for music. Play on Roger: Play on as an introduction to the posts for the rest of this week. Rest Haven Memory Gardens. [2019]

Lewiston, Idaho

Instead of a Dash – A Violin:  What would normally be a dash between dates is a violin and bow. He was born to play the strings, and he played them until he died. That's how the dash works. Was 'Tune' his nickname? If so, he may have been more of a fiddler than a violinist. Normal Hill Cemetery. [2019]

Ogallala, Nebraska

Live Your Dash:  He lived his dash with his drums. Music and art are often the first subjects to go when school budgets are cut back, but a trip to any cemetery will persuade you they shouldn't be. They outrank all other subjects as headstone icons. How many people take algebra to their graves? How many take music? Ogallala Cemetery. [2019]

Kennewick, Washington

Live Your Dash:  Like the dash, his life was short. Was it filled with music and travel? The axe suggests the former, but the airliner may point to something else. Shall we add a third to our list: love? Love that is already missed and forever in the hearts of those he left behind. Riverview Heights Cemetery. [2019]

Manteno, Illinois

Unicorns on Parade:  The unicorn is a symbol of love, but it is also a symbol of pure fantasy. And, finally, on the verso of this headstone, we have a right-sized horn. It should be at least as long as a clarinet (see it?). Remember how long the horn was on that unicorn in Bristol? In fact, what came to be traded as unicorn horns in the Middle Ages were from narwhals, sea mammals that have been labeled "unicorns of the sea." See below. Narwhals were never seen by Europeans because they live in the Arctic Ocean, so their horns could be traded as unicorn horns and nobody would know the difference. Elmwood Cemetery. [2015]

San Diego, California

Communities of Difference Share a Final Resting Place:  Mount Hope cemetery is huge, yet within a few steps in any direction you can see headstones calling attention to California's cultural diversity. Today we add English to the mix of cemetery languages. It joins Armenian, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Russian. But, don't simply assume you have found an Anglo-American, just because of the name and inscription. Take a gander at the verso and you will find a solitary cross, but one that is so unique it betrays a particular ancestry group: Armenians. The cross turns the headstone into an Armenian khachkar. "Forever in our hearts" reads the inscription; and also on the verso are four hearts. Are these symbolic of her children? If so, why not inscribe their names into each one? And, then there is the musical notation: That's an alphabet, too! Mount Hope Cemetery. [2020]

Mancos, Colorado

Defined by Our Duds: Was his appeal the music that he played or the duds that he wore? Maybe you can't separate the two, and it looks like he was defined by both. Now, like a pharaoh, he has an obelisk of his own, and it matches his black suit. Cedar Grove Cemetery. [2013]

Richmond, Virginia

Headstone Sculptures:  Granite animals are frequently part of the cemetery art world. They do their best to turn graveyards into sculpture gardens, but rarely are they asleep (eve though their owners are). In the past, an animal effigy was needed at a tomb only to serve as a guardian: with eyes wide open. Hollywood Cemetery. [2015]

Robertsdale, Alabama

Voices from the Grave ~ First Person Singular Subjective Case:  "If we never meet again this side of heaven . . . I will meet you on that beautiful shore." Do you think he might have been a Johnny Cash fan? Check out the boots and hat, too. Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery. [2017]

Mancos, Colorado

Artistically Yours:  In the graveyards of the world, far more people let you know their avocations than their vocations. For a living, he probably didn't play that guitar, and she probably didn't paint. But strumming and painting is what made living worthwhile. Where are they now? "Gone beyond the sunset." And, what did they take with them? The arts. Cedar Grove Cemetery. [2013]

Claremont, California

Artistically Yours:  He was a man of many talents. He dabbled, and perhaps made a living, in the arts: music, painting, and theater. When he signed his last painting, his palette went with him. When he performed his last act, his masks went with him. When he played his last melody, his notes went with him. Oak Park Cemetery. [2015]

South Charleston, West Virginia

Theatrically Yours:  They seem to be thespians. What story are they trying to tell the world from their graves? Let's unravel the clues. (1) The only thing standing between them in death are Greek theater masks. They must have both loved the stage, or maybe the screen. (2) He has chosen a bar of music as his signature logo. That points to musical theater. (3) He has chosen the title song from Fiddler on the Roof (sung by Tevye) to sign off from his earthly stage. That affirms his love for musical theater. (4) They would have been in the prime of life during the golden age of musicals, from 1955 to 1965. (5) She has chosen a heart as her signature logo. That means she loved him and everything he loved. Hence, even though the masks stand between the two, their real role seems to be uniting them in death as they were in life. Sunset Memorial Park. [2015]

Port Republic, New Jersey

Balloon Rides to Heaven:  The angels must have been singing and playing their harps when he took that last balloon ride to the heaven. What hymn do you think would best fit the circumstances? St. Paul's United Methodist Church. [2015]

Parkersburg, West Virginia

One True Love ~ The Family Farm:  The aerial photo doesn't suggest farming, but the tractor does, and so does the horse. Perhaps a corner of the old farmstead was chosen for their new suburban home, a place where they could enjoy their golden years. Quiz time: What's the name of the river you see here? Mt. Olivet Cemetery. [2014]

Marion, Illinois

Celebrating the Flag and the Fourth with Music:  Independence Day stirs feelings of patriotism even in cemeteries, where American flags seem to be the perfect complement to holiday celebrations. When you see them, you may think of some patriotic tunes that fit the mood of the day. What's this one?
     "Tonight I dare you to dream
     Go on to believe impossible things
     Whenever anybody says
     There's anything we can't do
     I mean after all
     There's an American flag on the moon"
 Recognize it? If not click here. Marion City Cemetery. [2015]

Port Republic, New Jersey

Commemorating Historic Cemeteries:  Don't let the form of the marker fool you. St. Paul's may be a historical cemetery, but this is not a historical marker. Instead, it's a lament for the dead, from Mom. A list of "I miss you's" and "I thank you's" is joined by: "I can still hear you like it was yesterday. The last time you sang a solo at the Sony E-Center, your voice was so powerful and commanding....Happy tears were streaming down my face....I was so proud." St. Paul's United Methodist Church Cemetery. [2015]

Jefferson City, Missouri

Across the Last Divide via Camper:  They had two children and seven grandchildren. Was this their means of giving the kids a family vacation? They've just pulled into a familiar campsite beside a stream they know so well from many previous visits. And, already, their fishing poles are rattling off the wall and their taste buds are prepping for a fish fry. Resurrection Catholic Cemetery. [2015]

Haines City, Florida

Cemeteries as Museums of Telecommunications:  Remember when telephones looked like this? Remember when they all were black? Are you old enough to recall what a party line was? Even as the artifacts disappear, their granite images will exist for all time on cemetery headstones. Forest Hill Cemetery. [2014]

Cynthiana, Kentucky

Nicknames as Ties That Bind:  Meet Charlie and Susie. Their childhood nicknames reflect the habits of the 1950s when almost everyone had a pet name that rhymed with Sparky. Some kept those names for life, as did this couple. Perhaps it was those nicknames, reminders of being young and in love, that kept them together for over four decades. Battle Grove Cemetery.  [2015]

Baltimore, Maryland

Focus on Oak Lawn Cemetery:  He came of age in the 1950s and was probably swept up in the Elvis movement. Maybe his talent was inspired by The King himself. And, it looks like he maintained his infatuation with strumming for the rest of his life. Otherwise, half a century later, why would he have taken it to the grave with him? [2014]