Creating heartache for grieving families, some cash-strapped cemeteries have failed to provide the gravesite care many families contract for after the burial of a loved one. The lingering effects of the recession have pushed some cemeteries into receivership and led some cemetery owners to use pre-paid funds to pay for operating expenses. In Mississippi, the state has been forced to take over the management of five cemeteries forced into receivership. One cemetery owner faces criminal charges for appropriating nearly $1 million from 150 pre-need accounts, according to an online article in Hattiesburg American.

While states regulate cemeteries, oversight can be spotty. Many families who open pre-paid gravesite care accounts to provide for the care of a loved one’s gravesite no longer reside in the state where their loved one is buried. Too often, absent families are not aware that their funds are being abused and their loved one’s grave is not being cared for properly. Abuse at one cemetery In Mississippi was discovered when a relative visited a loved one’s grave two years after the death and found that the grave marker the family had paid for had not been installed. In fact, although the headstone had been paid for, it had never been ordered.

You can count on The Gravesite Masters to provide expert gravesite care for your loved one’s grave. The Gravesite Masters provides gravesite beautification in cemeteries located across the country, including floral arrangements, solar light cemetery decorations and many other cemetery accessories.

Grave Stone Cleaning Before & After

When families place a stone on the grave of a loved one, they want it to last for all time. The names and dates chiseled into stone serve as memorials to family members who have passed on and as markers for future generations to connect to their ancestral roots. It is by their grave stones that many people discover their ancestors and trace their family’s journey across America. The stone markers provide a certain solace and tangible connection to those who have gone before us.

Today, most grave stone markers are made of granite or marble, two particularly hard and long-lasting stones. In the past, pieces of wood or field stones were used to mark graves. Sometimes referred to as wolf stones, field stones were placed on graves to deter scavenging animals. Slate was a popular early grave marker, eventually giving way to the superior durability of granite and marble.

Over time rain, snow, pollution, hot summers and cold winters take a toll on even the hardest stone, including grave stones and monuments. Surfaces become black and dirty looking. Carved inscriptions become dulled by erosion and begin to fade. Without periodic cleaning and restoration, these lasting monuments will not last forever. The Gravesite Masters offers professional stone and monument cleaning and restoration services. We can return your loved one’s grave stone or your family’s monument marker to its original sharp, clear and beautiful condition.

We all find it disturbing to visit a cemetery and see unattended graves. No one likes to imagine their final resting place will be lonely and abandoned. That’s why families will visit and place fresh flowers on graves. They also will make efforts to ensure that the grave and the surrounding area is well maintained.

However, with increasingly busy schedules we might find it difficult to regularly visit our loved one’s gravesite. This is especially true when the cemetery is located somewhere that is difficult to get to (this situation is exacerbated for senior citizens who have lost a spouse and find it hard to travel to the cemetery).

Fortunately, Grave Concerns makes tending the gravesite much easier to do. Even if you live across the country, you can use their services and products to beautify the deceased’s grave. For example, if you discover that your loved one’s tombstone is weather-worn or covered with moss, Grave Concerns can send an expert Gravesite Master Professional to restore and clean the tombstone.

Of course, simply placing fresh flowers or other beautifying ornaments by the grave is something that can easily be arranged with just a few clicks. With a vast array of unique and tasteful memorial products, you can rest assured that your loved one will be memorialized in the most respectful manner.

When my mother was a little girl, she and her mother and grandmother used to visit the cemetery every week. As they weeded the graves, planted flowers and trimmed around the headstones, they would share stories about Grandpa Alfred, Great-Grandma Lily, Great Aunt Tootsie, Uncle Bob and the other family members whose graves they tended. My mother used to love hearing the stories of colorful relatives long gone but not forgotten. As a child, her job was to fetch water from the nearby pond to water the flowers carefully planted to decorate the graves. She knew that someday it would fall to her to tend the family graves and pass down the family tales.

Families no longer live in tight communal groups, living out their lives within blocks of each other. When my mother’s turn came to watch over the family gravesite, marriage and job opportunities had moved her far away from her family home. On visits back to see elderly relatives, she’d always stop by the cemetery with some flowers and do what she could to beautify the graves; but it bothered her that they often looked neglected. Discovering Gravesite Masters has given my mother the peace of mind she needs. With a call to Gravesite Masters Mom knows that beautiful, fresh-cut flowers will grace her parents’ graves on special dates and holidays important to the family even when Mom can’t be there herself.

Even when we know that our family member’s time here on earth will be ending soon, it is difficult to pre-plan a funeral service.  At the time of your loved one’s passing, the impending funeral arrangements can be a mind boggling task.  There are so many decisions to be made.  Where and when will the services be held?  What funeral home will handle the details?  What type of flowers should be ordered?  How will the funeral be paid for?  Should we choose cremation or a traditional burial?  These are only a few of the decisions that must be made in a short period of time.

Having to choose a cemetery at the time of a loved one’s death as well can be a daunting task.  There are several different types of cemeteries to consider.  They all vary in cost and services offered so it is wise to know your options before you actually need services.

Veterans Cemeteries are available to veterans who have served in any branch of the United States military.  Veterans and their family members are able to have free burial services and gravesite markers at one of the many national cemeteries around the United States.  District cemeteries are owned by a city, county, or township.  Religious cemeteries are owned by specific religious organizations.  Private cemeteries are not owned by any of the above organizations and are also available.

There are several types of cemetery plots that a cemetery may offer. Lawn Crypts are underground tombs that are reinforced by concrete and steel.  Mausoleum’s are above ground structures that are used for internment of your dearly departed.  A Columbarium Niche is a small space that is reserved for cremated remains.  Lastly, most people prefer the traditional In Ground Burial Plot.

Many people prefer to arrange for their own gravesite maintenance instead of utilizing the services that might be offered at a cemetery.  At Gravesite Masters, we specialize in individual plot maintenance, beautification and care.  With nationwide service available, you can be certain that your loved one’s final resting place is being properly cared for at all times.  We also have a wide selection of cemetery products that will give a lasting tribute to the love you have for your family member.

Funeral rituals and customs have been documented for many thousands of years.  It is amazing how many customs that were practiced in the past, are still practiced in varying degrees in today’s world.

It is believed that originally many burial customs were practiced to appease spirits and protect the living.  Originally, the practice of closing the deceased eyes was so that their spirit could not leave their body.  In today’s world, this practice is done to show that your dearly departed is now at peace.  In ancient times, the deceased’s face was covered, again to keep the spirit inside.  Now, covering your dearly departed is a sign of respect for the family.  Another tradition that is often still carried out today is when a family member passes away at home.  Often times they will be removed from the home feet first, instead of head first, which has been a world-wide custom for quite some time.

Thousands of years ago, gravestones were originally used on gravesites to weigh down the supposed spirits in the graves.  In today’s world they serve as a wonderful testimony to your love and respect for your dearly departed.  Gravesites can be adorned with beautiful fresh and artificial flowers, potted plants, wreaths, memorial rocks, pictures, flags, solar lights, and many other things to keep the gravesite a beautiful and memorable final resting place.  Gravesite Masters provides nationwide premium cemetery gravesite care and beautification services.  See how our professional and compassionate staff can help you keep your loved one’s gravesite beautiful all year long.