Cemetery monuments
Choosing a cemetery monument begins with telling your story. We’d like to hear about your loved one: what was their faith and beliefs, their family heritage, their interests, and accomplishments?
With an understanding of what made your special person unique, we can begin sketching a monument design that’s as one of a kind as they were.
From there, we help you choose the monument type, stone, size, color and shape that will best tell your story of your loved one for generations to come.
We understand that selecting the right memorial can be a difficult decision. We take great care to make the process comforting and easy for you – by thoughtfully listening, advising and sharing ideas on how to forever reflect your memories in the monument you choose. We invite you to contact us to help you get started. We apologize that the link on our ‘Contact Us’ page is not functioning at this time.
There is a difference in Memorials and there is definitely a difference in Memorial companies. For many years, we have been the local representatives of the Sunburst Memorial Granite Company, of Saint Cloud, Minnesota. You may wish to visit the Sunburst Memorial web site sunburstmemorials.com. This site provides photos of the styles of cemetery memorials and some of the granites that are available.
These photos may help you decide what style, carving and lettering options you may prefer. A visit to some of the local cemeteries may also provide you with ideas that you may want to incorporate into your cemetery memorial.
You may also be interested in viewing photos of the inventory that they (Sunburst Memorials) have on hand, memorials ready to be carved and lettered to your specifications. If you find a memorial that you’re interested in, make a note of the item number and contact us for a price.
In selecting a Sunburst Memorial, you will have the assurance of quality craftsmanship, the finest design, and the best possible value. Each personalized memorial is carefully hand crafted to reflect the uniqueness of the individual or family it commemorates. With the technology now available we have the opportunity to tell a life story through custom shapes and sizes, through stone color and pattern, and through portraits and detailed Lazer etchings.
Large blocks of rough granite are brought to the plant in St. Cloud, Minnesota, cut to the desired size, finished to your specifications, and perform all the design and layout work to personalize your memorial. Your finished memorial is then delivered to the cemeteries within our service area. By controlling every part of the designing, building and setting of your memorial the highest standards may be upheld throughout the process.
Almost a century of experience has proved the importance of high standards. This is why your monument is guaranteed to stand the test of time, lovingly commemorating your loved one for eternity. Your selection of a Sunburst Memorial offers peace of mind now and for the future.
A guarantee is only as good as the company that gives it. Sunburst Memorials is the people. Their people are the reason they have prospered in business since 1917. The Sunburst Memorials Guarantee states that you will be happy with your memorial at the time it is installed or they will rework the memorial at no charge or refund any portion of the memorial you are not satisfied with.
Mission Statement: We strive to: Make it easy to do business with us; give our customers a good value for the products; deliver great service and support; do what we promise; always give full, prompt, and courteous attention to our customers.
Types: “Memorials” covers a wide range of offerings to commemorate people and events. Cemetery monuments/memorials normally include single units, husband and wife doubles, or whole families that may be together in a central area. “Memorials” also covers other items in a cemetery, or a church or community, which are dedicated to a person, events or in memory of a person or event. An excellent example is a veteran’s memorial which is dedicated to the people and the ideals they fought for.
Styles:
Upright Monuments come in innumerable sizes and shapes to accommodate single, double or multiple names. They can also be more easily customized for any special design or purpose.
Slant Monuments are seen with and without bases. They also can be customized in shape and size and purpose.
Bevel or “Pillow” Markers are smaller versions of the Slant Monuments, but lay closer to the ground.
Flat or “Grass” markers are set with the top surface level with ground level. Many cemeteries have specific guidelines about how these may/must be installed.
Veterans memorial styles, flat or upright, granite, marble or bronze can be duplicated for a spouse. We also can suggest options to install the government supplied piece.
Mausoleums are above ground crypts. There are many, many options and styles for single or large multiple crypt family pieces. We also can suggest “Columbarium” options for cremated remains.
Other pieces can be added to the monument to enhance the story of a life. Following are a few options.
Custom art work: Staff designers are specifically trained to work with granite. Some with over 30 years experience. Many techniques for other art forms are not possible with such a hard, durable medium. Custom shapes and finishes, floral designs, hunting and fishing scenes, and emblems for the importance of duty, God or County are skillfully drawn to enhance the overall design concepts and the color and tone of the chosen granite. Etchings and Laser etchings may also provide minute detail.
Vases and Planters: A fresh floral bouquet is often the preferred gift to leave when visiting a loved one at the cemetery. Many options in granite, marble, bronze, and other metals are available.
Bronze Markers: Flat markers are required in certain cemeteries. Some people prefer metal over granite. Grass markers may be cast with the custom features you request. We are available to discuss the specific differences in design work between granite and bronze.
Statuary, Figural or sculpture pieces can tell a part of a person’s story. Bronze or other metals are the most durable, but white marble is very popular.
Benches and Seats: The invitation to sit and relax is often the reason benches are installed in public places. They often are commemorative and give someone a place to rest and contemplate. The cemetery monument bench can provide that same invitation.
Pet Memorials: To many, losing a pet is a highly emotional event. A wish for a memorial to their memory and the joy they brought us is only a natural extension of the grief process.
Garden Memorials: A rustic piece of granite, be it a bench, a stepping stone, a poem or a memorial is and looks at home in a garden. Landscaping that includes “hardscape” adds dimension and interest.
Signs: Just as a cemetery memorial is intended to mark a place, and tell a story, so does a Commercial Sign. Granite being one of the most durable materials makes it a must for consideration. Parks, cemeteries, Churches, apartments, and business sites, are some of the locations that have decided on this tough durable, but very custom material.
Accessories: Please contact us about: porcelain photos with or without frames, solar powered lights and crosses, candle holders, flag holders, cremation urns, keepsake cremation plaques.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Granite? Granite is a tough, durable rock composed primarily of three different minerals. These minerals are easy to see due to their different colors. The white mineral grains found in granite are feldspar. The light gray, glass-like grains are quartz, and the black, flake-like grains are mica. Starting 325 million years ago as a large, hot (1300 degrees to 1400 degrees Fahrenheit) mass of magma or molten rock. This magma originated when some of the earth’s crust melted – probably at a depth of about 11-12 miles. The magma rose upward and came to rest about nine miles beneath the surface. There it cooled very slowly – taking more than a million years – and solidified into granite. That was more than 300 million years ago. Since then, the granite has been pushed upward, and the land above it has been removed by erosion. The result is a granite deposit that lies just beneath the earth’s surface where it can be easily, safely and economically quarried.
Why a Sunburst Memorial? We understand that selecting the right memorial for a loved one or yourself can be a difficult decision. In selecting a Sunburst Memorial, you have chosen wisely with the assurance of quality craftsmanship, the finest design, and the best possible value. Each personalized memorial is carefully hand crafted to reflect the uniqueness of the individual or family it memorializes. Almost a century of experience has proven the importance of high standards. That is why the guarantee states that your monument will stand the test of time, lovingly commemorating your loved one for eternity. Your selection of a Sunburst Memorial offers peace of mind now and for the future. Truly, there is a difference in memorials and memorial companies. Rest assured, you are choosing the best.
Is there a difference in Memorial Companies? Although many cemetery memorials offer the important details of an individual’s name, date of birth, and date of death, what about the life that was lived between those dates. Who was this loved one? What were their passions, their beliefs? What did they like to do in their spare time? Who did they love and what were the gifts and joys they gave to us? A memorial should reflect and pay tribute to the person it commemorates. Sunburst Memorials gives you the opportunity to tell the story of the life of your loved one. This will be achieved through detailed lazer etchings, different memorial shapes and sizes and through stone color and pattern… even a portrait encased in porcelain of the person whose life you honor. Sunburst Memorials use only the highest quality granite and finest craftsmanship to design your memorial. This is why they guarantee the memorials will stand the test of time. Let us help you honor the life between the dates. Let us show you the difference.
How much does a Granite Memorial cost? The cost of a Granite Memorial varies greatly based on the type of memorial, size, granite color and options you choose. Information we will need in order to provide you with further pricing information includes: Color of Granite; Type of Memorial (Upright, Slant, Bevel, Flat, Government, Duplicate); Sizes (including the base); Type of Edges (polished, sawed, rough); Additional Lettering and Options. Please contact us for a price quote on your choice of memorial.
What options and features are available on a Memorial? In addition to the type of granite, size and shape of your memorial, there are many other options you may consider. They include: Additional Finishing; Special Shapes and Designs; Different Lettering Types; Additional Lettering such as children’s names, hobbies, interests, special gifts, poems, etc.; Choice of Panel Designs on which the lettering is placed; Carvings; Custom Etchings and Laser Etchings; Color Etching; Portraits; Ceramic Photo inserts; Vases; Bronze Plaques and Memorial Display Cases.
Can you duplicate or replicate an existing memorial? In most cases, an exact duplicate of an existing memorial can be created. We can assist you through the process of collecting the information needed to create a duplicate. Please contact us for more information.
Can an existing Memorial be changed or fixed? Sunburst Memorials can help you change and/or fix a memorial. Typically this will require the stone to be shipped to the plant where the work is completed. Please contact us for more information. We apologize that the link on our ‘Contact Us’ page is not functioning at this time.
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If you have questions or would like to have us help you select a cemetery memorial or begin the process of pre planning the memorialization of yourself or a loved one, feel free to contact us at any time. In addition to the ways of reaching us listed on the ‘Contact Us’ page of this web site, you may also reach us by e-mail at: MMountain@centurytel.net, or MountainFuneralHome@yahoo.com.
