Graveyard Tacky...

We've all seen them. We've even admired some of them.

Those tombstones that are becoming ever more popular with the crowds today, that contain portraiture of the deceased, or of their favorite hobbies, or their pets.

I've seen everything from a portrait of a new born baby to a RV etched in stone. And one lone sad stone that gave me the willies! A mother and obviously stillborn child in death's repose lying together in the coffin.

Philly.com ran a great article on this very thing on Wednesday.

I, personally, prefer a more "quiet" stone. The simpler the best, is my belief. I find nothing wrong with the others, it's just my personal preference.

My parents [aged 72 and 71] are planning on purchasing their stone now and having it placed now, so that when the time comes that will be one less item their loved ones have to think about. All those who are left behind will have to do is fill in the death date. They are adamant about only one thing. That it be a joint stone, and that their wedding date be included.

I even go for that.

I was impressed with this week's Tombstone Tuesday stone that I found! That particular stone was a family researchers holy grail! But it is still a bit ostentatious for my humble taste.

I've decided when I die, I'd be content with a simple flat stone with just my name and years of my birth and death engraved on it. I plan to be cremated anyway, so a simple marker for my ashes will be most appropriate.

What do you think of the current trend in tombstones?

We'd love to hear from you! You can email your responses to: mountaingenealogists@consultant.com