The
Perfect Tribute
Written
by John Jenkins of Gravestones
HQ and Peter Purr of Memorials
of Distinction
A memorial
headstone can be a fitting tribute to the dearly departed; the chance
to pay tribute to their achievements, describe the void they will
leave or simply capture the very essence of their being.
Some
people think about their memorial headstone in advance and not only
decide the type they want, but also the inscription.
Over the
years, tributes have been collected around the world, which give
eternal life to those who we have unfortunately lost. The
preservation of these everlasting memorials is one of the things that
makes us human, and preserves our instinct to give meaning to the
lives of those loved ones we have lost along the way.
Friends,
loved ones and - in the case of famous people – fans and admirers
often visit memorials to pay their respects. Here are 10 famous
memorial headstones from around the world which still draw attention.
1)
Frank Sinatra
Ol' Blue
Eyes, born in New Jersey in 1915 was a true legend and was considered
by many to be one of the greatest singers of the 20th
century. Bursting onto the scene in 1935, he later became a part of
the infamous Rat Pack with fellow crooners such as Dean Martin and
Sammy Davis Jr. Frank Sinatra later went on to establish a successful
acting career but for many, he will always be remembered for the
rousing New York, New York, which was adopted as the unofficial
anthem of the city.
The
singer's memorial headstone in Cathedral City, California is marked
by two USA flags and bears his name, the years of his birth and
death, along with the tribute 'beloved husband and father'. However,
in a fitting tribute to the singer's cheeky and upbeat sense of
humour, it also bears the slogan 'The best is yet to come'.
2) Jane
Austen
One of
England's most famous female writers from the Georgian period, Jane
Austen wrote classics such as Pride and Prejudice which have gone on
to enjoy success on the silver screen.
Her
memorial headstone doesn't mention her illustrious career as a
writer; the reason for this is that during her lifetime her novels
were published as being written 'By a Lady'. By omitting her
achievements, Austen's family preserved her anonymity at the time.
The prose
featured on the memorial is however, beautifully fitting for a writer
being eloquent and heartfelt. Judge for yourself:
The benevolence of her heart,
the sweetness of her temperment
the extraordinary endowments of her mind
obtained the regard of all who knew her and
the warmest love of her intimate connections
Their grief is in proportion to their
affection
they know their loss to be irreparable
but in their deepest affliction they are
consoled
by a firm though humble hope that her
charity,
devotion, faith and purity have rendered
her soul acceptable in the sight of her
redeemer
3)
Pyotr Tchaikovsky
The
composer of some of the most well-known pieces of classical music
such as the haunting Swan Lake, Pyotr Tchaikovsky's grave features a
striking memorial, complete with bust and angels.
Although
Tchaikovsky's death was officially attributed to cholera, some
experts have suggested it was an excruciating form of suicide with
the composer deliberately opting to drink the infected water. He was
laid to rest in Tikhvin Cemetery in the grounds of Alexander Nevsky
Monastery in St Petersburg.
4) Mel
Blanc
A man that
few would recognise on sight his voice was heard all over the world
for many decades, Mel Blanc was the creator behind a myriad of voices
in both cartoons and radio shows. Perhaps best-known for his work for
the Warner Bros, where he brought characters such as Tweety Pie,
Woody Woodpecker, Elmer Fudd and of course, the inimitable Bugs Bunny
to life.
Blanc's
uncanny ability to create totally different voices and also mimic
sounds allowed him to enjoy a long and fruitful career, which also
saw his creations continue on past his death.
His
memorial is situated in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, in the Garden
of the Exodus. The simple memorial bears the star of David in
reference to his Jewish heritage and signs off with 'That's all
Folks', one of Blanc's most famous tag-lines.
5) Jim
Morrison
Perhaps
one of the most frequently-visited memorials, despite the singer's
death occurring more than 40 years ago, the site of his grave is as
controversial as was his life.
A bohemian
at heart, he had conflicts with the law, famously enjoyed
recreational drugs and embraced mysticism. Many of his fans appear to
have the same approach to life and a weighty stone block had to be
laid over his sealed grave to stop individuals from attempting to dig
him up. His memorial is covered with graffiti and has been defaced
and artefacts stolen repeatedly. Other misdeameanours from visitors
have included drug parties, orgies and devil worshipping rites. As a
result, his memorial is now protected by night lighting, cameras and
security officers patrolling with dogs.
The
Parisian cemetery where Jim Morrison is buried have intimated they
may ask for the grave to be moved when the lease expires as a result
of the mayhem.
6) John
Wayne
One of the
most instantly recognisable cowboy film stars from the movies, John
Wayne was an unlikely heartthrob.
A true
American film icon, John Wayne's grave was left unmarked for almost
20 years. It now features a highly detailed engraving of a man riding
a horse amongst the landscape in addition to the inscription:
Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at
midnight very clean. It’s perfect when it arrives and it puts
itself in our hands. It hopes we’ve learned something from
yesterday.
According
to his son, this was not what the actor had asked for, although the
above is a quote from an interview he gave to Playboy in 1971. John
Wayne had apparently requested 'Feo, Fuerte y Formal' (ugly, strong
and dignified) to be written on his memorial. Quite why this didn't
happen isn't clear.
7)
Bruce and Brandon Lee
A double
memorial, and for this reason, even more poignant with father and son
interred next to each other in Lake View Cemetery in Seattle.
Bruce Lee
was, and arguably still is, the most famous martial arts actor the
world has ever seen. An expert in a form of martial arts which
emphasises economy of movement, Bruce Lee was one of the fittest men
on the planet. Although he died officially of a cerebral oedema
following a succession of headaches, speculation remains that it was
a martial arts-related death. Medical experts have said that the
death was caused by conflicting medication.
His son,
Brandon Lee, was also an actor and died whilst he was filming
blockbuster movie The Crow, where he was accidentally shot.
The two
memorials are different colours and designs, but nestled up against
each other bring home the true tragedies of their deaths. Bruce Lee
was just 32 when he died, and Brandon was only 28 so perhaps little
surprise that there have been persistent rumours about a family
curse.
8)
Princess Diana
The
people's princess as she was often referred to has in death become
the Lady of the Lake. Her remains are buried on an island in the
centre of the Round Oval Lake on the Althorp family estate, hidden
from prying eyes.
The
princess died in a much-publicised car crash in France in 1997 but
although her memorial can be seen from the water's edge, no visitors
are permitted onto the island. This hasn't stopped her memorial from
being amongst some of the most visited in the UK.
Her grave
is marked by an elaborate urn and a column rising from her burial
site. The path which permits access to the island is lined by 36
birch trees, one for each year of the princess' life.
9)
Hattie McDaniel
The first
African-American to win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
for her role of Mammy in Gone With the Wind in 1939, Hattie
McDaniel's life and death was courted by controversy.
She was
stereotyped as a maid or suchlike in the 100 films she made but was
widely recognised as having skills which far outstripped the roles
she was given. After she won her Academy Award she was not permitted
to attend the premiere and was forced to sit on a table by herself
during the awards ceremony. She went on to be the first black woman
to sing on the radio and have her own TV series, and when she died of
breast cancer in 1952 her funeral was attended by more than 3000
people.
Even in
death she couldn't escape conflict; she had requested to be buried in
Hollywood Forever Cemetery but was not permitted to be laid to rest
there because of her colour. In 1999, the new owners of the cemetery
offered to relocate her but her family declined. A memorial was put
up in her honour instead which declares:
Aunt Hattie, you are a credit to your craft, your race and to your
family
10)
John Belushi
Funnyman
John Belushi died in 1989 but his fans still visit his graveside in
their droves. The problem continues to cause such an issue for his
family that his remains were moved a distance away from his memorial
headstone in the cemetery in Martha's Vineyard.
The comic,
who died from a drugs overdose, signs off with an unrepentant 'I may
be gone, but Rock and Roll lives on', a motto which many
over-enthusiastic fans appear to have taken to heart when visiting
the sacred spot.
Conclusion
There are
almost countless famous memorial headstones from around the world
that could have been included in this list. The above 10 are just a
snapshot of the humorous, poignant and unusual memorial headstones
that have been erected to pay tribute to those who are no longer
here.
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