Memorial Day

You may have driven past our office and noticed the sign out front: "Now Accepting Memorial Day Orders". So what is so special about Memorial Day anyway?

Many cemeteries have designated an annual Decoration Day in which families may gather and visit and decorate their loved one's graves together. Some cemeteries also incorporate a celebration service into their Decoration Day festivities and others solicit volunteer clean-up efforts on that day. Whatever the case surrouding your cemetery may be, it is a special time of year indeed.

Naturally, families like to have their loved one's headstones in place before Decoration Day so that they may honor him or her with flowers and other tokens of love. Because the standard delivery time for a monument is between 4-6 weeks, weather permitting, it is a good idea to begin your Memorial Day shopping at least two months prior to the holiday.

It is also important to note that there will always be time to decorate your loved one's grave. SO, if you do not feel ready to make a memorial purchase, don't push youself. It is better to take your time and get what you really want rather than rush into something you may not be as happy with in the future.

If you have questions about purchasing a memorial or would like to view our standard selection, drop by our office in Springdale or check us out online.

Purchasing a Monument Ahead of Time

Today many families and individuals choose to pre-arrange their end of life care. And, while such arrangements commonly include a fuenral service, they may also include honorary services such as creating and placing a monument.

Because monuments are accepted as universal symbols of rememberance and honor, they play an important role in the way we memorialize our loved ones. And, if you are particular about what a memorial in your honor will look like, it may be a good idea to arrange for it ahead of time.

When designing a monument for yourself it is important to begin with a solid piece of inspiration. Perhaps you have seen a stone you like in the cemetery or in the showroom. Or, perhaps you enjoy a certain color, religion, or hobby. If so, you need to communicate your ideas to our staff to ensure that the memorial is designed as a lasting tribute to you.

If you or a loved one are interested in designing a memorial on a pre-need basis, please contact the staff at Emerson Monument Company today, where it is our pledge to provide the highest quality service at the most reasonable price.

When to Order a Headstone

After losing a loved one you may hear several theories concerning the "right time" to buy a stone. Some folks say to wait 6 months while others say to wait until the burial ground settles. However, at Emerson Monument Company we take a different approach.

Each individual and family is different than the next, meaning they grieve in different ways and for different lengths of time. With that being said, it is important that those who are considering the purchase of a memorial wait until they feel comfortable going through the memorialization process.

If you feel comfortable going through the process immediately following your loss, then you are welcome to drop in and begin getting some ideas. However, if you are not yet comfortable with discussing your ideas or feel that you just "aren't there yet", it is in your best interest to wait until you do feel more comfortable. For some people this takes a matter of months while, for others, it may take years.

Also, if you don't feel comfortable designing a memorial just yet but can't stand looking at your loved one's grave without a stone, you might consider purchasing a small 1 foot by 6 inch marker and having "In Loving Memory of (insert your loved one's name)" engraved on it. This is an inexpensive purchase ($65) and will act as a temporary memorial until you are ready to come in and begin designing a headstone.

Press Release- Teaching About Cemetery Restoration

Springdale, AR- The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program has invited Emerson Monument Company, of Springdale, AR, to act as the leading expert in cemetery and headstone restoration and repairs. The Cemetery Information Fair, to take place at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center in Little Rock, AR, will be held on November 13, 2010 from noon until 4 pm.

"Over the past 96 years our company has been involved in several cemetery and monument restoration projects, including the project at Evergreen Cemetery in Fayetteville," states CEO Alison Raymer. "We are proud to honor our community, state, and loved ones past by being involved in educating people in these projects."

Emerson Monument Company is a full service monument company that has been serving Northwest Arkansas, Southeast Missouri, and Northwest Oklahoma since 1914. The Company donated service hours to the widely-publicized Evergreen Cemetery Restoration Project at historical Evergreen Cemetery in Fayetteville, as well as mutliple smaller projects in the surrounding area.

You're Buried Like You're Married....

Have you ever heard that saying? There is a lot of truth to it if you or a loved one is having a traditional burial in a double plot. What is tradition? Good question.

Traditionally the woman is buried in the plot to the North while the man is buried in the plot to the South.
Also, in accordance to tradition, in MOST cemeteries (in NWA the Catholic cemeteries are an exception), the head is rests on the West side of the grave and the feet rest on the East side of the grave.

Do non-traditional burial occur? Sure. And, what may be tradition in some parts of the country or some cemeteries, may not be the case in others.

That is why it is important to know if your loved one is buried traditionally or non-traditionally.

If you are purchasing a double headstone, it is important to know who is on which side. Why? Because we want to make sure the correct name is placed on the correct side of the monument!
With that being said, it is always a good idea to check with the caretaker of the cemetery and ask him or her who is buried on which side and if the face of the monument should be looking towards the East or towards the West.

If you are considering purchasing a double headstone for yourself or a loved one, and are a little confused about the above information, please contact us and we will be glad to visit with you and provide you a worksheet to help you understand more clearly.

The Setting Process

When you purchase a monument it is important to note that the setting process is just as important as the selection and design processes. Why? Because it is not uncommon for monuments to settle, lean, or even sink over time. And, while you can't prevent these actions from occuring, you can select a monument company that guarantees their setting process and promises to raise or straighten the monument at no additional charge.
SO, no matter where you are shopping for your memorial, it is imporant to ask the following questions:

1) Do you place a foundation underneath your monuments?

2) If so, what type of foundation do you use?

3) Do you guarantee your setting work?

4) If so, what are the steps I need to take if my monument begins to settle or lean?

At Emerson Monument Company we dig a footing and place a dry pour foundation underneath each and every stone we set. We guarantee this method and will go correct your monument if it ever settles, sinks, or leans.

If you have had the unfortunate experience of purchasing at a company that does not guarantee the quality of their work or has since gone out of business, please give us a call and we will be happy to discuss our ability to provide such services to you.

Thinking Outside the Box

Our loved ones are special. They have interests, dislikes, and "quirks" that set them apart from everyone else. Today, more than ever, generations are focusing on celebrating the things that make their loved ones unique.

It is no secret that Mr. Graham loved to fly. It was his passion. And when those who did not know Mr. Graham look at his stone, they, too, will gain a sense of both his humor and his hobby.

So what qualities set your loved one apart? How can you incorporate their passions into their memorial? Would you like something that stands out from surrounding memorials or something that conforms to the general style?
Those are great questions to ask yourself before shopping for a memorial and are good things to go over with our staff if you are a little uncertain of what you are looking for.