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Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,627
Registered: ‎01-06-2015

Today I sat outside on a bench that had a plaque for a 10 month old baby, he died in early 2019. When I looked up his name, I found out that he died suddenly from a bacterial infection.

 

The memorial page set up by his parents talks about what a happy baby he was. The quote on the plaque relates to that too.

 

Sometimes just sitting on a bench can lead you to something that gives you a whole lot of perspective. It just broke my heart, been thinking about it all day.

"You call him The Edge, I just call him The"
Super Contributor
Posts: 495
Registered: ‎05-21-2018

Re: Memorial Benches

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I agree, my niece, who was a Navy, married an Army person.  Long story short, he served in Iraq, came home, couldn't handle the demons that followed him, and died in the desert by his own knife.  He is burried near his mother in another state, but she bravely put a bench in her local cemetery with his name, also a flag pole to commenorate him.  I never knew him, but I sit on the bench and reflect on his life, so young, he left behind a young wife and daughter, who I adore.  

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,163
Registered: ‎10-04-2010

Re: Memorial Benches

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I think that's a wonderful way to remember loved ones.  Makes me think of the bench in the movie, "Notting Hill".  Second favorite movie.  

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,104
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

I love them. A father, whose son had passed in a tragic accident, hand carved one to place at his gravesite and it was stolen! A special place in he!! for whoever did that. The man said it felt like he was losing his son all over again. It had wrought iron legs and heavy wooden slats so it had to be taken by more than one person. Sad that we have people with such little respect walking among us :'(

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,243
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

You all have my sympathy. My father and my brother are buried at the same cemetery and my mother has a plot there too. My father's grave I can drive right to but my brother was buried over 50 years ago and the cemetery is so crowded in certain parts I can never find his grave. I considered putting a bench near my brother's grave. The cemetery told me it would cost about $8,000. for one. I can't afford that. They don't allow anything else brought in from other companies and you then have to buy the ground the bench will be placed on. The brass flower holders disappear as well. I can't imagine stealing from a cemetery. 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,889
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

At Cornell University there are several memorial benches around the large campus. One of them commemorates the alumni who were killed in WW1. The bench came from alumni who had also served in that war, all but forgotten after WW2. I took a tour in Belgium where we saw some of the former battlefields and the many cemeteries of the fallen...Passchendaele, Ypres, Tyne Cot Cemetery. When I visited these places I thought of that memorial bench on the campus of my alma mater. I was so glad they remembered and passed the memories on to new generations.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,814
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

My family purchased a memorial bench on the boardwalk at Ocean City, MD for my grandparents.  They spent many years going there, as did the rest of the family.  My grandfather loved sitting on the benches and watching people.  He especially loved the banjo player that would frequent the boardwalk and always gave him money. 

 

That was about 20 years ago.  Years later, the city said it needed to be replaced and we needed to pay for a new one and we could take the old one.  A family member took the old bench (still in good shape) and put it on her backyard patio.  A sweet reminder. 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,501
Registered: ‎07-03-2012

My DH and I are in the process of buying our cemetery lots and nice 48" x 20" marble bench.  We have a meeting on Monday with the cemetery guy.  There  are quite a few stipulations and how many lots we need to buy.  One cemetery is two lots while our family's cemetery guy says 3 lots.  It's going to be an interesting experience, but we don't want to do this alone.

Glenda