When faced with the expected or unexpected loss of a parent, children are often left with an unspeakable grief filled with emotional turmoil. Funeral arrangements, even if they have pre-planned, can be an overwhelming process. In the midst of making arrangements and mourning, you will be faced with the decision of how to proceed with choosing a gravestone for your deceased mother or father. Although these decisions can be difficult in a time of grief, being equipped with the right knowledge about your options can be a small weight lifted off of your shoulders.
The way you choose to memorialize your parent should reflect the spirit of who they were in life, and what they’ve meant to you throughout the years. In choosing a gravestone, there will typically be three major decisions to make: the type of material, the size of the gravestone, and how it will be customized. Each one is just as important as the other, especially when it comes to memorializing the life of your deceased parent.
Each option has a certain ascetic, while durability and sustainability should also be a factor in your decision. Granite, for example, can be customized by color, and is particularly durable. As a very popular material, choosing this stone does not mean you won’t get the unique customization that your parent’s memorial deserves. In fact, granite headstones can be erected in colors ranging from black, to mahogany, to pearl white and several selections in between. Gravestones can also be further customized with the inclusion of a matching vase or a bronze plaque.
Usually, the most difficult task is deciding how to further inscribe or personalize the memorial. Choosing to include scripture, a poem, or quotation can express your parent’s personality and what they meant to their children, family, and loved ones. You may also decide that the best way to memorialize your parent is by electing to have a photo etched onto the gravestone, a beautiful symbol of remembrance.
The most important aspect in all of this is not to rush your decision, making choices based off of your parent’s wishes, their personality, and what you feel is the best way to honor them. Columbia Gardens Memorials can guide you through the process of creating a memorial for your parent that will be a true symbol of who they were in life. Call us at (703) 527-7774 and we’d be happy to speak with you and discuss whatever questions you have.
Upwey 2017 – 17 by garryknight licensed under Creative commons 4
