Local Monument Companies Are Defensive Regarding Online Competition

In reply to my thoughts on the impact of online competition on the local monument company, an individual who I will call Mr. Monroe, wrote his opinions that demonstrate the defensiveness of local monument companies in regard to online competition such as www.USAMonuments.com.

“It's not like shopping for a brand name product with a model number that is exactly the same no matter where it’s purchased from. You can even shop for a car much easier than you can for a monument.”

Actually, more and more auto dealers are using the Internet to provide prospective purchasers shop-from-home convenience. Consumers often shop locally and then purchase online or vice versa. There is plenty of business for different channels of distribution.

If a company has a high-quality Internet site, there is a high probability that the consumer will be satisfied with the final memorial product. Conversely, if a local monument company operates out of a shack, with a display of "me-too," same color samples and boring designs, and without a high-quality website, then there is a high probability that the consumer will not have a superior heirloom memorial when manufacturing is completed. Buyer beware!

“With so many varying degrees of workmanship not to mention the different names being used like *classic gray* that could mislead a consumer into thinking it's that common *Barre gray* seen throughout his cemetery until he notices that his gray is holding moisture and always looks damp with dark spots.”

Numerous online photos and granite samples are used by online sellers to effectively communicate to purchasers what they are buying. No responsible local or Internet-based company wants consumer complaints and no responsible company is going to intentionally mislead a consumer. We have numerous satisfied clients with a sampling of our wide variety of products shown on our website.

If anything, online sellers work harder to develop relationships as they do not have in-your-pocket relationships with local funeral homes who often receive kickbacks from monument companies. Online monument companies work independently of these home-town practices that cause prices to be higher than necessary.

Communication is critical and online marketing, if used wisely, is an excellent communication tool. Our company serves local, national and international markets that clue us into upcoming trends in other markets.

“I set a granite marker for an online company (I won't do it again) and the marker was Georgia gray with a flat carving filled with black litho. She told me she shopped around and the local companies were more expensive. I said to her they probably wouldn't have been more expensive if they understood what they were quoting against. You thought you saved money, but this online company cut corners to save itself money and appear more competitive. It wasn't an apples vs. apples comparison. To me, shopping online for a monument is much like opening a box of Cracker Jacks - you never know what you are going to get.”

Mr. Monroe, you won’t receive an argument from me regarding the importance of comparison shopping. Poor workmanship is not unique to any one facet of the industry; however, you overstate your case by comparing online sellers to opening a box of Cracker Jacks.

If you were truly consumer focused, you would install monuments for out-of-state companies as that would best serve the needs of the folks whom you serve. You are in a service industry and you should never forget that important fact.

Actually, high-quality online sellers provide detailed designs before manufacture, and photos of the finished product before the manufactured goods are shipped, so the consumer is assured of satisfaction before making final payment.

I would argue that the entire monument industry has serious problems in quality control, especially in the installation phase of monument construction.

“The begging question remains, who is more likely to stand behind their product and replace it if necessary, the local business with word of mouth reputation at stake? Or the out of state online company?”

Online companies are increasingly your local competitor who adopts a consumer orientation. An online competitor with ample photos of products they have actually produced assures the public that the company is one of substance. Unfortunately, no company can guarantee 100% satisfaction 100% of the time. Sadly, there are folks in this world who are impossible to please. We have all had negative experiences with this sort of personality.

I predict a continuing blending between store-front and online advertising as the business model that most merchants will follow. I have observed lots of shoddy workmanship by store-front businesses and the superior craftsmanship of products shown online has opened opportunities for interstate marketing for local mom-and-pop businesses.

I invite anyone to deny that you can visit most cemeteries where you will readily see a wide assortment of monuments improperly installed, wretchedly designed and poorly manufactured by local monument companies.

There have been numerous examples of serious problems in the death-care industry where local companies took the money and did not produce as they promised. The public cannot be fooled as they have seen for themselves that many problems show up after the local monument company has gone out of business due to poor quality control, financial mismanagement, poor health or death of the owner, et cetera.

Long ago, Henry Ford, with inadequate competition, spoke words to the effect that the consumer could have any color they wanted as long as it was black. The U.S. monument industry continues to resist change and for too long offered the public its choices of gray granite when the consumer wanted greater variety of colors and styles.

Eventually, the public looked for alternatives outside the neighborhood market as the local monument company was slow to meet the changing demands of its market. If you fail to satisfy your market, you will lose market share, and that is a lesson for all businesses, regardless of the industry in which they compete. The Internet is a great place to shop and buy and will continue to impact local monument companies that fail to adapt to change. Adapt or die is my motto!

Burton Fletcher
www.USAMonuments.com
Burton@USAMonuments.com

Online Marketing Has Changed The Monument Business For The Better!

Our company has both a local and an online presence serving a local, national and international clientele. Like the progressive company we are, we chose to have a powerful online presence; however, with that said, our online presence is significantly stronger than most monument companies in the U.S. market. See www.USAMonuments.com a/k/a www.BigBeautifulMonuments.com and form your own opinion.

I read a fellow online who I will call Mr. Granite Chips wrote, “I know many common commodity items are routinely purchased over the internet with great convenience. However, is it really wise for consumers to purchase custom crafted products such as granite memorials via the internet? We as memorialists all know too well that granite monuments can and usually do vary greatly in quality, craftsmanship, shape carving, deep roses, etching, sandblast, hand carving, lettering just to name several as well as grade of granite being used perhaps more than any other product in the marketplace?”

Mr. Chips, makes his points as best he can; however, I think it is also clear that he does not have a significant online presence. If he did, he would know that companies that sell online offer greater variety, shop-from-home convenience and excellent craftsmanship, often far superior to the local marketplace, and without high pressure sales during the grieving process.

Another monument dealer who I will call Mr. Yankee Stonecrafter wrote in reply to Mr. Chips, “I as recently as yesterday was directed to a website by a customer who saw something that gave them some ideas for a family monument. They were using the internet for reference, but not to purchase. The customers volunteered that they would not buy a monument over the internet because as they say “seeing is believing.” There are always going to be people who will buy anything and everything on the net, just as there were people before the net existed who didn't care about craftsmanship or quality, only price. "

Mr. Yankee could also have said that there are always going to be folks who purchase locally without paying adequate attention to the wide selection offered over the Internet. Internet designs are seen and these same designs are not offered in the displays of most brick-and-mortar companies. If you want unique, you should shop online. If you want a traditional commodity purchase, then you may still want to shop online for the savings we can offer.

Mr. Yankee continued, writing, "The internet has only made it easier for those types of customers to shop. I think it may help some of us who do care about quality and craftsmanship in the long run by helping to choke out the dealers have no business representing our craft. The internet is great reference tool, the best. However I believe that is where it ends. Or course there is the porno and that's a big plus.”

I won't comment on Mr. Yankee's admitted Internet viewing habits; however, I appreciate his admission that the Internet has made it easier for consumers to shop. Anyone who invests in the technology of the Internet is likely to offer superior creativity and construction of truly unique designs.

I took editorial license to edit the words of these two monument builders. I do not consider myself to be in competition with their companies as I am a unique memorialist more than a monument builder and I suspect they serve only a limited geographic market.

Also, I seek to avoid the commodities market in which so many monument companies market themselves. Instead, we seek a market niche of often upscale, unique, and one-of-a-kind designs.

In addition, I frequently receive calls from prospective clients who advise me that the local monument company representative was impolite, ill informed, offered a limited selection, or offered a price that was significantly higher than the price offered by my company. I also frequently take business from competitors who dominate the Internet with their online presence.

There are all types of prospective and actual clients, just as there are a wide variety of business people in this world. There is plenty of business to go around! Clients can view our offerings to instantly see that we are conscientious, offer creativity and high-quality products. My advice to anyone knew to the monument industry is to carve your niche and you will succeed, regardless of your business platform.

Too many of our competitors have a small sampling of me-too monuments that perpetuates the status quo in the marketplace. Cemeteries are filled with what I call Cliche Monuments with the same color and the same serpentine top with little, if any, imagination or story telling.

I suspect the home-town monument builder has been helped more than hurt by the online reseller as there were a lot of very poor and boring designs as well as inferior workmanship before the online retailers educated consumers on the wide assortment of options available. We offer more than mere shop-from-home convenience, but also great prices with some of the finest workmanship to be found anywhere.

We are proud to create unique memorial products and we prefer to leave the focus on commodity sales to others. Our clients are often discriminating, high-end purchasers and they will continue to be our primary market niche in the future.

I got into this business to shape opinions and change market practices as I saw significant deficiencies in memorialization that I sought to change. As one of the most published memorialists in the United States, I am proud of our positive impact in the marketplace.

As with so many other industries, online marketing has forced brick-and-mortar businesses to modify their business practices to satisfy a consumer who is often demanding and fickle. Those monument companies that refuse to adapt will die off, for they perpetuate the past more than shape the future.


Burton Fletcher
http://www.usamonuments.com/
Burton@USAMonuments.com

Copyright 2006. All Rights Reserved.

Recognize Mental Illness And Recommend Treatment

I read the post of a monument builder on another website and this person launched into an angry, insulting and immature attack on another member. It was obvious that the attacker has mental-health issues that will harm his performance in the death-care industry, where serving others is paramount.

Mental illness is pervasive in our society, and often the mentally ill do not receive the treatment that they need and deserve. If you see someone with excessive anger issues, then please recommend that the person receive the assistance of mental-health professionals. Today, thanks to American pharmacological prowess, many previously untreatable illnesses can be treated and controlled.

If you recognize that you have problems with controlling your excessive anger, then rather than taking out your anger on others, destroying the lives of others, and yourself, then please seek help so you will not only live long, but live well. After all, it is the right thing to do. May God bless you!


Burton Fletcher
http://www.usamonuments.com/
Burton@USAMonuments.com

Who Will Write Your Final Cut?

I was watching “The Final Cut,” a science fiction drama starring Robin Williams, Mira Sorvino and James Caviezel. As a memorialist, I particularly enjoyed this film.

First-time filmmaker Omar Naim writes and directs the science fiction drama The Final Cut. The movie is set in the near future. The story concerns a microchip that is capable of recording a person's entire life. Robin Williams plays Alan Hakman, an editor who cuts together the footage to make pleasant movies for funerals.

The film has a theme that 1 in 20 people have memory chips and Williams’ character, known as “a cutter,” assembles categories of memory, e.g., family, career, community, et cetera. At the end of people’s lives, the editor assembles the best of the life stories, careful to delete footage that reflects the sins of mortal men and women.

For most of us, a diary or journal is as close to a memory chip as we will ever have. We can be honest to the degree that our characters will allow, and we can be as complete or incomplete as we desire.

Everyone has a story and, for most people, their story will die with them, except as preserved in the memories of others or through a memorial or family history. Our memories are encrypted in the minds of others and this data can be reached through personal interviews, perhaps using the Family History Questionnaire.
I am a big proponent of our Family History Questionnaire, http://www.valdostamemorials.com/family_history_questionnaire.htm to interview relatives before they pass away.

I am also a strong advocate for the use of Life History Plaques (SM) to memorialize our lives and the lives of others as part of the cemetery monument. See, http://www.valdostamemorials.com/LifeHistoryPlaques.asp.

One line in the film states word to the effect that “it is for the greater good that your life mean something.” That is a thought that everyone should reflect upon.

If you want your life to mean something, and everyone should aspire to leave the world better because of their actions, then the Family History Questionnaire and the Life History Plaques (SM) are excellent starting points for documenting your family history.

Preserve your family history; after all, centuries from now, the only knowledge of your family may be what you, yourself, preserve. Just do it, and do it now; after all, it is the right thing to do. Besides, this may be your only opportunity to do your own final cut!

Oh, “the Final Cut” is a fine movie for anyone, but especially enjoyable for anyone in the death-care industry.

Burton Fletcher
www.USAMonuments.com
Burton@USAMonuments.com
Copyright, 2006. All Rights Reserved.

Family Squabbles And Monument Replacement

I received a call this morning in my capacity as president of the Georgia Monument Builders Association.

"I'm from Florida," the woman said, "and my sister replaced our parent's monument without informing me."

Apparently, her sister had replaced the monument for her mother and father without bothering to ask her permission, much less to even inform her! Obviously, she was "in shock," when she discovered this insult.

She stated, "daddy didn't even have a monument for (something) years." "My sister didn't think they should have a double monument since they were divorced."

Apparently, it was important enough for the sister to replace a double headstone with two single headstones since mother and father had divorced in the past.

So, what advice would you give in this situation?

"Ma'am," I said, hesitantly, "there are no good answers for you."

"You could sue the monument company, for the original monument, but they are out of business, and what would you do with the stone?"

"You could sue your sister, but that would just generate ill will."

"You could sue the church too, but you probably don't want to do that either."

"It must have been very important to your sister if she was willing to incur this expense. I would just let it go."

"I know," she said, "but I'm just in shock."

In my opinion, her sister handled this entire situation poorly. Family decisions require family consensus for family harmony. When one person goes off to unilaterally make decisions, even when well meaning, then the other family members have a right to be disappointed.

If faced with a similar decision, I hope you will do the right thing. After all, the right thing, is the right thing to do!

If you have thoughts you wish to share, please email me at Burton@USAMonuments.com and I will post select comments on this site. I thank you in advance for your contributions to improve the death-care industry, memorialization and honor the loved ones of grieving families. Burton Fletcher Owner http://www.usamonuments.com/

Mental Illness, Difficult Clients & Service In The Monument Industry

Some time back, the daughter of a client filed a malicious and illegitimate complaint against me personally, and my company, saying we had not manufactured a monument as we had been instructed to do.

The facts were contrary to what this woman was saying and all of our attempts to resolve her complaints were met with hostile reactions. Though we tried, there was no appeasing this person. All of us have, at one time or another, known individuals who were excessively, and unrealistically, fault finding.

This woman had numerous altercations with a wide assortment of individuals and she acted in a bizarre manner with severe and wide mood swings. We enjoyed working with her father, but she was an irascible individual who attacked me privately and publicly, and both personally, and professionally. I was just one of many individuals with whom she was in open conflict as she sought to “protect” her father, who, in all respects, is a man of great character and honor.

Today, I received a message that this woman had recently been incarcerated pursuant to the Baker Act, a Florida statute that allows involuntary mental evaluations under various conditions. See, http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/mentalhealth/laws/index.shtml. The Baker Act is a law that gives the police or doctors the broad power to lock up individuals for 72 hours for observation if it is believed that they may be harmful to themselves or others.

Whether involuntary, or voluntary, I hope this woman will receive the psychiatric assistance she desperately needs. I am a strong proponent for supporting and treating individuals who suffer from mental illness. Her incarceration validated my belief that this woman was unable to make rational decisions due to her mental illness.

As monument builders, we must always strive to exercise patience with the families whom we serve. It is not always easy, but we should try. Sooner or later, the truth will come to light and victims will be exonerated of the aspersions cast falsely upon them.

Pray for and support individuals with mental illness especially during times of mourning and through the cycles of grief, as “the final straw” may occur as a result of the loss of a loved one. It is not always easy, but always remember that some personal attacks are the imperfection of the attacker and not the fault of the accused.

Proverbs 3:30, "Do not accuse a man for no reason — when he has done you no harm."

Proverbs 19:5, " A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will not go free."

If you have thoughts you wish to share, please email me at Burton@USAMonuments.com and I will post select comments on this site. I thank you in advance for your contributions to improve the death-care industry, memorialization and honor the loved ones of grieving families.

Burton Fletcher
Owner
http://www.usamonuments.com/

Do Catholic Cemeteries & For-Profit Cemeteries Place Unreasonable Burdens on External Cemetery Purchases

I received a call on December 4, 2006 from a monument builder in Gonzales, Texas. He expressed his appreciation for my numerous publications and history of advocacy for issues affecting consumers and the monument industry. I welcomed his call as it is always good to hear from my readers.

We talked about how some within the funeral industry have looked at cemeteries as the dumping grounds for its services instead of the place of importance that they should be. Cemeteries are places where we honor our loved ones, and members of the communities. They deserve to be properly maintained as places where we honor both the living as well as the dead. Accordingly, from cemetery maintenance to proper design and installation of monuments, we should all be concerned for the appearance and preservation of cemeteries.

Obviously, I do not want to sweep with too broad brush as the illegal, unethical or short-sided actions of one person should not mar the reputation of the entire industry, as every industry, trade and profession has good and bad apples.

We talked about the differences between a monument and a memorial and how our company prefers to build memorials and not monuments and the difference between the two is that a memorial honors the life of a person more than celebrating the death with seldom more than the name and dates of birth and death.

I explained how we build Family History Plaques (SM) and how these plaques have been very popular with our clients. See http://www.valdostamemorials.com/LifeHistoryPlaques.asp.

During our conversation, we discussed the difficulty of installing monuments in Catholic Cemeteries with onerous rules on outside monument companies. I have observed absurdly onerous rules designed to limit competition that were generated by for-profit cemeteries too, particularly those cemeteries owned by the large corporate conglomerates. I have even observed situations where private cemeteries falsely stated that they would not allow the installation of outside products, an event clearly in violation of Federal Trade Commission regulations and fair business practices.

I suspect the ability to compete fairly and on a level playing field is an area of common concern that should receive a united front by the monument industry. I would like to hear from my colleagues and the public on this and other subjects of concern.

If you have thoughts you wish to share, please email me at Burton@USAMonuments.com and I will post select comments on this site. I thank you in advance for your contributions to improve the death-care industry, memorialization and honor the loved ones of grieving families.

Burton Fletcher
Owner
http://www.usamonuments.com/

What Does It Mean To Be In A Service Business?

Do you ever think about the business opportunities to distinguish your company from all others? How can you do that? What makes your company unique? If you have had a good or a not so good experience with a monument company, please share that too. We love to hear from our readers and we will be posting select comments on our blog.

Please share your thoughts with us by emailing Burton@USAMonuments.com.

What Will The Monument Industry Look Like In 10, 20, 50 Years From Now?

Question: What will the monument industry look like in 10, 20, 50 years from now?

Answer: I would like to hear the views of my colleagues within the industry. While I will not be in the industry 20 years from now, I hope the industry is thriving. What we do as memorialists is important to the families we serve. If you have ideas you would like to share, please send them to me.

I'm the moderator and I am strict that ideas should be presented with thought and respect. Otherwise, I have few rules on the subject. Please share your thoughts and identify yourself if you like; however, anonymous is okay too! Please note that though you may be listed as Anonymous, my tracking software identifies the identities of all visitors to my site. This information remains private and confidential.

Share with us by emailing your thoughts to Burton@USAMonuments.com.

Should The Monument Industry Have Higher Standards For Entry Into The Profession?

We have studied our competition and we have observed many within the monument industry who are inexperienced in business management. As a consequence, unable to proficiently run a business, they get into financial trouble, harming consumers and the reputation of the entire industry. So, we ask, the question: "Should the monument industry have higher standards for entry into the profession?"

We are informed of a monument company who was full of empty promises, but short on delivery. See, http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=d3599086-491a-4f1c-8cc0-bd71e2531310&rss=112.

Please read the story below and decide for yourself. These problems could have been avoided with a sound business education, closer supervision by governmental authorities, and perhaps ethics training. We support all three requirements.

I would like to hear from you so please share your experiences regarding the monument industry.


Your Stories Investigation: Still No HeadstonesLast Update: 5/31/2006 5:40:02 AM


(WSYR-TV) - More excuses, and still no headstones, from Tri-County Memorials owner Dan Holleran. Holleran promised headstones for families that ordered them by Memorial Day, but none were delivered. It comes as no surprise to dozens of customers, some of whom have waited years for their headstones. Now, the Attorney General says his office won’t stand for it.

We’ve heard from family after family who are waiting to reach closure after the death of their loved ones. They are waiting for the headstones they ordered from Tri-County Memorials.
“I paid them, and never heard from them again. Nothing. They said the place closed down for vacation, and he got hurt, and the artist was on vacation, I have heard everything. Everything you can think of,” said Molly Morency. Morency’s 17-year-old son Joe died in a car accident in 2002. Since then, all she has gotten from Tri-County owner Dan Holleran is broken promises.

The same is true for Rita Dirienz, who ordered her stone three years ago. She was promised a stone by Memorial Day, but when she came to check, one wasn’t there. She had to leave the flowers she had purchased for her husband in the shrubs behind where he is buried.

Still no headstones for the Meade family of Oneida either. Their sister paid for her own stone before passing away three years ago.

All this is not sitting well with the Attorney General’s office. It has been investigating Tri-County Memorials and Dan Holleran for a few weeks now.

“That’s simply deceptive, that’s a suggestion to me of an on-going fraudulent behavior, that if necessary, we go into court and seek to get some sort of injunction,” said Win Thurlow at the Attorney General’s office.

Holleran admits he is behind, and has been hearing from a lot of worried customers. Some were even checking in when we showed up at his store. But he says tomorrow, he is going to pick up some stone. Just how many? He wasn’t sure.

“I don’t know, there’s quite a few but they’re going to get delivered,” Holleran told our Jennifer Lewke.

“You keep saying that, but they never show up,” Lewke said.

“Starting tomorrow, we’ll start delivering, I’m all set to go,” Holleran answered.

But it’s easy to see why customers don’t believe him.

“I’ve heard that tomorrow, next week, I’ve heard that forever. Nope, I don’t believe it,” said one customer.

The Attorney General’s office says it plans on completing its investigation in the next week or so, and will then move forward with plans to make Holleran make good on his orders. We will keep you posted.

From May 19th, 2006:

Dozens of people have called our Your Stories line to say they've been waiting months and even years for a headstone they ordered to honor the memory of a loved one. The company is Tri-County Memorials of North Syracuse. Your Stories viewers say that owner Dan Holleran made them pay up front for their stones and hasn't delivered the stones as promised. Some have been waiting for more than 2 years.Holleran tells NewsChannel 9 that he's been struggling the past few years financially and physically and has been unable to fill his orders on time. He says he is beginning to get back on track and should have most of the stones that were set to be placed months or years ago in by Memorial Day.

The Attorney General is now looking into the matter. If you've been waiting an extended time for a stone you purchased from Tri-County, call the Attorney General at 448-4800. From Noon, May 19th, 2006 North Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - Families wanting a fitting tribute for their lost loved ones are getting nothing but a big headache from Tri-County Memorials. Our Your Stories line has been filled with complaints from customers who have been waiting up to three years to receive headstones for their loved ones from the company.

Since our story on Tri-County Memorials first aired last night, we’ve gotten more than a dozen calls from people who say they have not yet received their headstones from the company.

Our Jennifer Lewke is talking to more victims today, and will file a report on NewsChannel 9 starting at 5:00 PM.

Yesterday, Jennifer spoke with Rita Direnz, who ordered a gravestone with Tri-County Memorials following the death of her husband. The headstone was promised six to eight weeks after she ordered it, but it’s still not at the site of her husband’s grave.

The man who was paid up-front to produce and place the headstone is Dan Holleran, who owns Tri-County Memorials. Rita and several other Your Stories callers say since they signed contracts with him months, if not years ago, they have heard excuse after excuse as to why the stones aren’t done.

“I asked him where he gets the stone from, who the engraver is, because I personally wanted to call them and make sure the order was even placed,” Direnz said.

Holleran says an injury last summer prevented him from setting stones. But he is trying to get back on his feet this season, and fulfill orders. So far, Rita is not convinced.

“As of last week, I contacted his office 40 times, and it’s always one thing after another, just different excuses,” Direnz said.

Some local cemeteries say they have had their fair share of problems with Holleran too, so some have stopped doing business with him altogether.

Holleran tells NewsChannel 9 that the stone for Rita’s husband is finished, and he will place it by Memorial Day.

Permission to use the preceding article was graciously provided by Brian Foster, Assistant News Director, WSYR-TV NewsChannel 9WSYR-TV and 9WSYR.COM.

An Update On Losing A Pet

It has been said that "time heals all wounds." I'm not sure that wounds are ever healed; however, the pain subsides as we go on with our lives.

I still feel the loss of Muffin, my beloved Chihuahua, though it has been a little over two months since her passing. Though she can never be replaced, a wonderful joy came into my life with the adoption of Bobby, a Chihuahua, and Dusty, a Britany Spaniel.

Bobby is my favorite of the two as he is compact and the house dog of the two. Dusty is a pure bred and high strung. He is a sweet dog, though his numerous antics for chewing up water hoses, digging holes and the like test me on a frequent basis. Yes, I love them both. I adopted both from the pound in remembrance of Muffin. I felt like it was the right thing to do and I have never once regretted my decision.

Bobby had been abused sometime in his past. He still has a buck shot pellet in his left front leg. When he runs, he lifts his left rear leg. I cannot imagine the circumstances where anyone would want to harm an animal so small.

Bobby was quick tempered when we first adopted him. With lots of love, his temperament has changed, and he is obviously in love with us, just as we are in love with him. When we go to the door, he is right there with us, ready to go for a ride just as we took Muffin with us throughout her life.

I still miss Muffin and her cremains rest beneath my desk in a beautiful urn. Life goes on with or without us and we might as well accept that the world is not going to stop turning when we pass on. Life is short under the best of circumstances, and for too many folks, it is cut even shorter. We never know when we are going to pull out in front of a semi-truck, so we should have our affairs in order.

I love you Muffin. I love you Bobby. I love you Dusty. Life is so much better with the joy that our pet friends bring into our lives. Amen!

Share with us by emailing your thoughts to Burton@USAMonuments.com.

Losing A Pet

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2006
LOSING A PET

August 16, 2006 was a very sad day in the Fletcher household. On that day, I lost a beloved pet friend. The following are words that I wrote on that day.

I am sad; very, very sad today, Wednesday, August 16, 2006. My pet friend, Muffin, a beautiful Chihuahua died in my arms as a result of congestive heart failure.

I was crying as I began typing my thoughts today. I knew Muffin had heart troubles and I was treating her as the veterinarian prescribed. This morning, she let out a petitioning wail and I knew it was her end when I saw her.

I picked her up and a few minutes later she died in my arms. Muffin had let out a cry of pain in recent weeks as she was unable to breathe. This time, I picked her up and it was obvious that she was in the process of dying.

My efforts to resuscitate her using mouth-to-mouth resuscitation were not successful. I held her in my arms and in a few minutes she exhaled her last breath.

I loved this pet friend as she was my closest companion during some of the most difficult times of my life. She was with me when I felt abandoned by my friends and was stoned by my enemies.

On most nights, she slept beneath the covers of my bed. There were very few trips away from home when Muffin was not with me.

This is a very sad time for me!

Grieving is not a pleasant emotion.

My best friend, Emi (pronounced “Amy”) age 77 and a victim of dementia, and for whom I am a caregiver, held Muffin’s lifeless body in her arms and against her chest for the longest time.

Though I tried to close them, Muffin’s eyes remained open. Her tongue was out. Her ears were pointed high. Muffin looked as if death had brought her peace!

We respectfully wrapped Muffin’s body in a new blanket and neatly folded the package. We placed the blanket in a box for transport to the veterinarian so Muffin’s body can later be transported to a cremation facility in Gainesville, Florida. It is my desire that Muffin’s ashes be placed along side of Emi’s and mine inside the crypt that will hold our cremains.

Months ago, I installed a memorial for all of my pets at the Fletcher Memorial. This is a very sad day as I have lost the joy of having a great friend. I will cherish the memories during the years we shared together as she was a very special buddy who brought great joy to Emi and me.

Friends of mine arrived and I received a hug of condolence. I asked them to take Muffin’s body to the veterinarian which they did. After they left, Emi cried tearfully and hugged me saying, “Who is going to take Muffin’s place?” In truth, no one, and no pet, will take Muffin’s place. She was very special!

Burton

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