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By Burton Fletcher
It is common to see a slab or “ledger” in front of graves.
Often, very little thought is given to the opportunity to
memorialize the life of the deceased and their family as part
of the grieving process.
A rounded or tapered edge often improves the appearance of the
ledger. Commonly, the sides of a ledger are balance rock
pitched (chipped), though I like sawn edges better. Even
better, I like a polished margin around the top edge of the
ledger.
If the ledger and the base of the monument are going to butt
together, then both the base and the ledger will be sewn on
the side where they will touch. A sawn edge is smoother than a
rock pitched edge that is sculpted with a chisel and hammer to
create a rough appearance. If the balanced rock pitch style is
used on all four sides of the base, or the ledger, the two
parts will not fit tightly together, allowing for an imperfect
look that allows grass to grow in between the base of the
memorial and the ledger.
Photographs, military symbols, handprints, Masonic emblems,
Bible verses, and the like may be engraved into the ledger.
You are only limited by the size of the ledger, the size of
the lettering, your imagination, and your pocketbook.
One memorial that I saw recently had ledger engravings of the
handprints of two young children who had lost their father at
an early age. This was a touching idea that involved the
children in the memorialization of their father and forever
captured the youth of the children, at the time of their
father’s passing.
Normally, 1-½ to 2- inch letters is the minimum size lettering
for a monument base. If a bronze overlay is used over the
ledger, then smaller lettering can be used. Bronze creates a
beautiful memorial for your loved one. I especially like a
raised portrait in bronze.
Burton Fletcher, with over 20 years business experience, owns
ValdostaMemorials.com. He is a licensed memorialist in Georgia and Florida. He enjoys genealogy and
visiting and studying Southern monuments. Reach Burton at
229.245.8858 or
Burton@ValdostaMemorials.com |
