How do you date a gravestone?

The traditional formula for dates includes the month spelled out followed by the date, a comma, and the year. Headstone Sentiments. Often families will add a brief quote, saying, verse, or sentiment. This can be as simple as “In Loving Memory” or “Forever Loved” above the name and dates.

Can a date be changed on a headstone?

Contact cemetery officials and explain the situation. Tell them you had little success in getting a corrected gravestone to replace the incorrect one. Request permission to correct the gravestone yourself. If they agree, you will need to apply a patch to the incorrect information and chisel in the correct information.

Is a headstone a memorial?

The headstone is the most common form of memorial for a grave site. The headstone is typically a piece of rock (usually granite) that sits erect on the ground, allowing individuals who walk past to easily identify the individual.

Are headstones at the head or feet?

As implied by the name, a headstone is usually placed at the head of a grave to both identify and memorialize a person. This approach has roots in Christian tradition, where a marker would be set with the head of the deceased to the west while their feet pointed east.

Can you put a death date on a headstone?

These headstones typically list the person’s birth date, but the date of death is left blank, of course, while the person is still alive. Upon this person’s death, family members often wonder how to go about adding the death date.

Can you buy a grave marker years before death?

It is common in today’s world to purchase and install one’s own grave marker many years before death. These headstones typically list the person’s birth date, but the date of death is left blank, of course, while the person is still alive.

Is the year of birthdate on gravestone different by 1?

I missed it before, but the year of the birthdate is actually different by 1 as well. (1962 on the gravestone and 1961 on the death certificate) I am actually more concerned about the year than the actual date, of course.

Which is more reliable a gravestone or a death certificate?

Both tend to be reliable. Unless you have a reason to doubt one, normally you should accept what it says. If you have information from both the certificate and the gravestone and the information on them match, then you’ll be even more confident that they’re correct.