What is a Ledger Style Grave Marker? - Just Give Me 2 Minutes
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- Опубликовано: 5 фев 2025
- What is a Ledger style of a Grave Marker/Headstone? Kari Northey, a funeral director and embalmer (mortician), explains what this style of marker looks like.
www.karinorthey.com
Hi Kari! Great video! This is a little off topic but not terribly. Something interesting has happened in the last few weeks and I thought I would share...actually, I thought of your channel when the 'discovery' was made.
So two years ago, I bought a small piece of property; just over 2 acres. I built a smallish house on it, fenced in the property and was just really getting settled in. Then things got interesting all at once about three weeks ago.
My daughter's cat, 'Sam' slipped out past her while I was at work. I got an urgent text from her (she's 8 so everything in urgent lol) saying that Sam had "escaped". I took off from work and went to the rescue...I should add that we do live kind of close to the road so her urgency was warranted for once.
Long story short, I found Sam safe and sound......sitting on a roughly 8'x4' sunken spot in a yet explored part of the woods about 50 yards from our house. I swooped him up all while getting purrs and "you saved my life, I'm eternally grateful" hugs but spotted something interesting. At the head of the sunken spot was the small, metal marker plate with two dates and a woman's name. It was the long forgotten grave of a lady that owned this property once; Elvania Fenstmaker.
I could barely make out the name of the funeral company that had been in charge of Ms. Fenstmaker's interment but I finally pieced it together enough to do some research on the now defunct funeral home and it turns out that my newly discovered neighbor was the very last service they performed (1974).
In the three weeks since, I have had the local funeral home come out to inspect the grave and they assured me the the 'sunken' area was just normal settling and not a collapse of the vault or casket therein.
My daughter and I filled in the grave site and I have placed an order with a local memorial company for a proper headstone for Ms. Fenstmaker. She has no surviving family that I or the funeral service provider could find anywhere so it was very important to us that this lady is given the grace and dignity that we should all be afforded; to be remembered.
My daughter and I have adopted Ms. Elvania but it has given me - as Katie's father - a real opportunity to have THAT talk with her and after so many questions from her, she seems to have a good understanding of the end of life.
Thanks for allowing me to share this with you and your subscribers! I love your channel and all of it's content! Keep up the great work! -Don
Wow! Great story! That was Gracious of you and your Daughter cleaning up Evania grave site, providing a Headstone for her and teaching your Daughter about end of life.
That is such an amazing story!!
So great!
What a Decent, Caring person you are and the lesson you taught your young daughter is Priceless🙏🙏🙏.
Absolutely amazing story! Something kind and caring in these crazy times in our world right now. Kudos to you and your daughter on respecting and “adopting” her.
hi Kari! I have learned a lot since I've been here, you provide a great service here and also show the side of a Mortician is not that creepy person and is quite ordinary, thank you so much! BTY I do love your Laugh, it's quite contagious :)
Awesome! Thank you!
That’s true. You do provide a great service, and you do a good job explaining things, and you always seem to be cheerful, even though it’s a sad subject, and a sad business. I probably would like to be prepared, ahead of time, before the death happens, and knowing what to expect as I’ll be in that situation (having to make funeral arrangements for my parents) sooner or later, and your channel helps with that. I had never heard of that term before today.
Hi Kari! I know of 2 very famous people who have ledger style grave markers. They are Roy Rogers & Dale Evans and they are interred at Sunset Hills Cemetery in Apple Valley, CA. My 13-year-old grandson is also interred there next to our spaces. He died of brain cancer in 2017. We live about a mile from the cemetery so we visit our grandson often. Thank you for all the information you give. Even at my age, I've learned a lot.
Thank you for sharing this!
Seen them a bunch just never knew they had there own name. Always thought it was Kinda an extended grave marker. I also cannot imagine how much one of these would cost. That’s a good deal of granite/marble and if one chooses bronze. Live and learn. Thanks Kari!
You are welcome!
I remember last week when the lady viewer asked about this, wow Kari your fast! We sure love watching you!
Yay! Thank you!
Hi Kari when I watch the paranormal video's on RUclips and they are in the cemetery I often wondered what they were called. Thank you for sharing this information with us all. Hope you are well Kari and your family. Lot's of love from Nancy in Scotland x
You are so welcome
I think I may have seen 1 or 2 in my lifetime but never knew what they were called, thank you Kari for explaining what these things are. As always very informative.
You are so welcome!
I never knew what they were called but that's what my sister and I did for our dad. We had engraved a verse and his daughter's full names for future reference for our descendants. Thank you so much for your videos!!💖
Thank you for sharing!!
The neatest one I've ever seen is Isaac Haye's ledger marker in Memphis! It has beautiful sketches of scenes from his life on it.
I will look it up!
My favorite ledger marker is that of Frederick Douglas in Mount Hope cemetery of Rochester, NY!! 🖤
I will look it up!
Thanks Kari, I never knew what they were called. I bet the are very costly though.
Yes it is a lot of material to make one.
I paid $15,000.00
Another mystery solved. I think this type of memorial is very unique, but didn't know what it was called.
They are cool
Thank you, Kari...I thought it was the top of the vault with 4 sides and a bottom that was sealed or caulked underneath....visit the gravesites of Berry Oakley and Duane Allman in the beautiful, historic Rose Hill Cemetery in Macon, GA.It is a shame that Berry's widow had to have a 6' spiked steel fence put up around the 2 burial plots due to the vandalism to the marble...as I stated in a comment earlier, I caught a couple "making whoppie" on the ledger...I snuck up behind them and pelted both of them with sharp pink granite stones that were on the railroad tracks 50 yards away...I was "shellshocked" at what I saw...in broad daylight...I guess nothing is sacred!!
Sick people!😜😜😳
John Keating...this was June of 1999, before the fence went up...P.S. They are putting another fence up around Gregg Allman's grave and the drummer, Butch Trucks, too! Also, Dickey Betts, the other guitarist has a plot reserved near Gregg and Butch, Dickey is also suffering from poor health, too! John Keating
Thanks Kari. I visited Elvis’s grave years ago. It was beautiful!
I have never had the urge to go but after looking at photos it would be an interesting visit
Thanks.I learn so much from your videos
So nice of you
Hi kari hope you are well.....they are very interesting to see in the old cemeteries....some very old and very ornate......they still sell them in a blue moon in my area......we sold a few ....they're big and very heavy and a good bit of work and skill to set them.
Back in the day, a simple grey ledger for a single grave was between five and 10,000 dollars depending on thickness...
They are neat though....stay safe😆😆😆😆
Thank you! You too!
I've always wondered about this. Ty for the clarification.
You are welcome
Thank you for the information, I have wondered what they were called!
My pleasure!
@@KaritheMortician :)
Great videos, very informative, thank you for taking the time to do these.
I have been in the military for the past 15 years. I know that the Navy offers a burial at sea for veterans, and I have seen how lengthy the wait for services can take.
My questions:
From your experience, Are there many civilians that have never served that would like a burial at sea?
And
How difficult is it arrange a burial at sea from a land locked state, (such as from the Midwest or northern states) and observe the EPA’s rules of depth and shoreline distance for sea burials?
Oh yes!
Awesome video
Thanks!
Very informative
Glad it was helpful!
Have been waiting for you to post Kari and excellent as usual.
I know this is off topic but as soon as this unfolded I thought of you- GLEE stars body recovered after being in water from Wednesday to Sunday and article stated post mortem would be conducted and will be ID’d by Dental Records... Does that, in your opinion, mean she’s basically Unrecognizable due to water involvement? So Sad- THANK YOU in advance.
I would imagine with the heat and that she was floating on the water from the reports she would not be in good condition
HI KARI ✋ THANKS IM CHECK ONE THOSE OUT. YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY 🇺🇸🇺🇸👌👍
You too!!
I’ve seen these at a historic cemetery near me. They look really cool in person, especially the raised ones. The only problem with them is that when they get vandalized to where there are holes in the side or are sloping into the ground, they’re kind of spooky.
Sad that it happens :(
I have a quick question I've always pondered, GRAVE HEADSTONES ARE FACING AND INCHES FROM THE FENCE...WHERE ARE THEY BURIED?
in front of them
Interesting! As far as I can remember, I have never seen one personally.
I’ve seen a picture of Elvis’s ledger marker.
I never actually knew what it was called, until just today!
Always learning!
Funny thing is you see these styles of memorials in France with multiple names of those interred within. Some of them are very majestic and dignified.
Couldn't figure out how they could have seven or eight internments in an American sized double plot. So I investigated how these are done.
Evidently they construct a smaller subterranean chamber that can hold anywhere from two to four coffins (Not caskets) on up to three levels. The coffins rest upon iron or steel pipes which are moved into place once "full occupancy" happens at those levels.
Pretty efficient way to maximize space whenever it's at a premium. Link to a website that explains these ledger-style burials:
advitam.fr/guides-obseques/tout-savoir-tombes-funeraires/
Yes I have done a video on that style before
I like you! Sorry for being blunt but I like your face and voice and the way you talk and explain things.
Aww thank you!
You should do a video on private mausoleums. Just outside Chicago we have Mt. Carmel Catholic Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois. It's remarkable because it is the final resting place to the majority of the famous Chicago monsters from a bygone era. Al Capone is there, although his grave marker is rather inconspicuous. Just a flat marker with his name. The most interesting thing is all the private mausoleums. I have never seen so many in one place, there must be hundreds. Some of these date back to the 1800's and early 1900's and you can look right in through the glass doors in many cases and see the caskets sitting in there. They usually have about 6 people in each, 3 on each side. Rather creepy but very interesting. With a little research I have found the names of many of the mobsters who are there and was able to go around and take a look at their stately private family mausoleums. As is the cast things with most things in Chicago I heard that corruption was involved in getting these people burred there. The Arch diocese of Chicago was greased to get them to agree to inter these notorious criminals and murders with Catholic burials and they allowed them to have private mausoleums, which most cemeteries did not allow. It's an interesting place to walk around for anybody who finds themselves in the area and is interested in that sort of thing.
A big thank you
You are welcome
Another celebrity grave ledger belongs to Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes from TLC.
It is inscribed with Lisa's rap from their best known hit "Waterfalls."
I will have to look it up!
Ledgers! Thank you! I would guess costly. Wait till you get to France & Italy!
Fingers crossed!
Trying to find someone to etch a cowboy on a horse, any idea?
Well, THAT should stop a hurricane from letting caskets go freestyle!
lol yes you would think it might help
Kari, please check out Keith Emerson's ledger in Sussex, England...just beautiful! John Keating
I will!
@@KaritheMortician Thank you, Kari...he was the Classically Trained Pianist for the "Prog" rock group, Emerson, Lake and Palmer...sadly...Greg Lake died that same year, 2016. No known location on his burial location, as he died of lung cancer. Keith died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, as he suffered from irreversible nerve damage to his right hand after several failed surguries. The Japanese critics drove him over the edge with criticism, since he was a sensitive soul! The really sad part is that he was on his last tour in Japan and vowed to retire!
Although, the tragic part, his Japanese girlfriend found him laying on the floor with a .38 snubnose pistol by his hand...now her soul will be shocked for life!!😭😭😭
Looking for an engraving of a bull being roped on a grave ledger.
I love this type of marker. I can imagine the cost is much more as well. Would be useful if the deceased was a popular person, as it would deter gravesite vandals. Interesting!
LOts of material so more money of course
Another such grave, located in Hollybrook Cemetery, Southampton, England, is of a man by the name of Alfred Hawthorne Hill.
A man most commonly known to the world as Benny Hill, one of the all-time great TV comedians.
His grave marker was changed to a ledger version after some morons broke into his grave and attempted to steal something that was supposedly buried with him. I forget whether it was money or jewelry
Very cool!
Kari the Mortician I’m a big Benny Hill fan.
Sounds expensive,but beautiful. Thanks! Kari
You are so welcome!
Good to know
Thanks!
merci dear
You are welcome!
How do these fare over time? More/less wear and tear than headstones?
It would be the same
I’ve seen them made of cement too.
Yes the really old rounded style are a basic stone or cement they look like
We have installed several ledger monuments over the years. They can be seen on our website www.chco.info
I dont understand if you rent a casket why dont you get any of the money back?
Because you are renting the wear and tear of using it for a price which is divided by how many times it can be used. You are also paying for the one time use interior.
When you say divided on how many times its use does that mean how manys time you use it for that one person or more then one person
Im from the north and never seem them til i went down south i thought it was the top of a casket
I see them hit or miss around the north
I see alot of these in Louisiana
Yes!
So this is going to sound funny but my M.D graduating class about 15 of us went and bought ourselves ledger grave markers after we were fully board certified and finally threw the years of crap. Our attending professors kept mentioning it. I obviously had it placed even though I’m in my early 30’s. The way I see patients die, I’m ready to die 24/7 now. When you have it in front of you, it makes you realize how quick it can happen unexpectedly.
Hey kari
Hey Jay!
I bet those cost a arm and a leg lol they look very nice tho.
Yes they do
I think Benjamin Franklin has one of those
I will have to look!
What you are not telling is they cost A fortune.
More material means more cost