Time for a chuckle - Part One

F

Fred Carlton

As 2013 draws to a close I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite tombstones with my Pro Car buddies. Most of them require no explanation. :D










Since the forum limits me to no more than 10 images I will have to continue with another post. More to follow - enjoy!
Fred
 
The Famous Last Words Cemetery

When we were thinking of what to put on the optional space on my dad's marker (he's in a National Cemetery) I suggested we put "see other side." My dad had a great sense of humor. My mom said no. Now she's on the other side. I think this would be even funnier on a flat grave marker.
 
More chuckles - Part Four



Linden, New Jersey Mercedes tombstone: Ray Tse, Jr. fantasized as a teenager about getting a driver's license and owning a luxurious Mercedes Benz. Ray died in 1981 at the age of 15. His desire was posthumously and eerily fulfilled when his millionaire brother, David, commissioned a 36-ton granite memorial sculpted to resemble a full-size 1982 Mercedes Benz 2400 Diesel limousine.

The granite automobile, reported to have cost about $250k, is parked on a low pedestal behind the family mausoleum. It's at the northern end of the cemetery -- the Asian section -- across from the Good Shepherd Mausoleum. Shady trees loom; shrubs planted around the car's edge are kept neatly trimmed.

On both the trunk and the front, granite vanity license plates read: "RAY TSE." The carving is meticulous, accurate in every detail, save for the missing hood ornament and sideview mirrors (which would have been too easy for vandals to snap off). Three stonecutters spent 1 1/2 years creating it from a 66-ton block of granite at Rock of Ages, Barre, VT.

There are no visible dates or labels on the monument or mausoleum, and the surrounding graves are in Chinese (It helps explain the lame descriptions of the the site elsewhere on the web, even by those who have visited in person).

Crummy Jersey weather notwithstanding, Ray Jr.'s legacy should outlast every other Mercedes Benz on the planet by centuries...

A side note: In 1988, the brother, Raymond David Tse, was indicted on murder charges after admitting he fired 18 bullets at a gang member in his Chinatown office who was demanding protection money at gunpoint. Tse claimed self defense, and was acquitted in 1991.






Side view of Grigsby's marker.




 
Final Chuckle

While this is not a tombstone, I laughed when I saw this company making "car shaped" caskets. Guess you'd be riding in style.

 
Thanks for posting these...

There is a granite statue of a Boy Scout in a cemetery in North Brookfield MA, however, I have not seen it. Sandy told me about it many years ago.
There is also a pet cemetery in Worcester MA that I have not visited. I was told that many of the grave stones are sculpted to represent the animal that is buried there.
 
Paul Steinberg said:
Thanks for posting these...

There is a granite statue of a Boy Scout in a cemetery in North Brookfield MA, however, I have not seen it. Sandy told me about it many years ago.
There is also a pet cemetery in Worcester MA that I have not visited. I was told that many of the grave stones are sculpted to represent the animal that is buried there.
Click to expand...


Paul:
This is the statue of the Boy Scout you mentioned. Here's the history of it:
The Ronald E. Walker Memorial and Walker Memorial Gardens are a dedication by Norman Walker to honor his son. As a boy, Ron had been an active member of Troop 128, chartered to St. Joseph’s Church in North Brookfield. Until the time of his passing, he had served as an Assistant Scoutmaster of the Troop.
Because both father and son shared a love for Scouting, and because Scouting had brought them so close to one another, the idea for a “Living Memorial to Scouting” was born. With Mr. Walker providing the design and supervision, construction started in late 1969. The Gardens were dedicated on Memorial Day, May 25, 1970. Now the Mohegan Council of the Boy Scouts of America assembles at the same time each year to honor departed members of the Scouting community.
The life-sized statue of the Boy Scout was carved in Vermont and represents all boys in Scouting- past, present, and future. Notice the Boy Scout Oath inscribed on the back. The Carillon Tower is electronically controlled and music starts to play whenever someone enters the area.
Through the generosity of Mr. Walker, perpetual maintenance of the Memorial Garden is assured.

Isn't the internet a wonderful thing?
Fred
 
Jesus in Cowboy Boots

While on the subject of cemetery markers and statues, one of my all time favorites is right here in Texas . . . Paris, Texas to be exact. The statue is located in Evergreen Cemetery and has always been referred to as "Jesus in Cowboy Boots."

This statue is actually the 20 foot tall grave marker honoring a man named Willet Babcock, who died in 1888. While impressive, it would hardly be the quirky tourist attraction that it has become were it not for the unusual footwear worn by the cross-bearing figure it depicts; instead of the bare feet or sandals one often associates with Biblical folk, this one wears cowboy boots.

Though there are approximately 40,000 graves in Evergreen Cemetery, the headstone of a small-town furniture maker gets all the attention. Word of mouth brings people from near and far just to find the grave they’ve heard so much about. They don’t know who’s buried there, they just know what’s supposed to be standing over him. They want to know if the rumors are true. They want to see the Jesus in the cowboy boots.

Willet Babcock, the man underground, was originally from New York. He owned two factories, one in Paris, Texas, the other in nearby Clarksville.

A pioneer in plant automation, Babcock was instrumental in turning Paris into the cabinetmaking center of Texas in the 1870s. Plus, he reportedly helped charter the Paris and Great Northern Railroad Company, for which he sat on the first board of directors. He was also a board member for Evergreen Cemetery, according to an employee there, where Babcock retired for good in 1881. His wife Belinda was interred next to him 28 years later.

Of course, nobody’s aware of any of this because … well, it all falls by the wayside once you stick Christ in a pair of snakeskins.

The truth is, no one’s sure that’s actually Jesus up there on the Babcocks’ pedestal. Some think he looks a little too feminine. Besides, closer inspection shows the individual isn’t carrying a cross, just leaning on one.

According to Jim Blassingame, superintendent at Evergreen, a lot of people think the figure is just an angel. Since the cross appears to be standing atop its own pedestal, it looks as though he – or she – is mourning over a grave.

Also, adds Jim, there’s a local historian with the theory that it’s really a Shakespearean character up there, as Babcock was supposedly an admirer. Which character that would be is unclear. There are a few who think the Babcocks were atheists. Evidently, theirs is the only marker in the cemetery with a statue that isn’t facing east. Plus, being that anything upside-down is a sure sign of godlessness, the atheism theorists like to point out the inverted torches carved into the pedestal’s base. The Justin Ropers are apparently the kickers, so to speak––just a final act of blasphemy, like putting the Virgin Mary in a Stetson.

Superintendent Jim has his own hypothesis. “I think the man had a sense of humor about the whole thing and that’s why he set it up that way, so it would give everybody something to work on. … Had the man died today, you would probably see the same statue up there with Nikes. He was just a pretty cool guy.”


 
A lot of these have been posted here before, but I cant seem to find it in the search (maybe old board). Here are a couple that are in a cemetery in a nearby town, I frequently visit it, but one day I notices these by accident. I cant believe Ive never seen them before. For those that don't know Slipknot is a metal band-and all the members signed this stone before it was cut in permanently. Im sure you all know who KISS is. Wonder if he was buried in a Kiss casket?
headstone 1.jpg

headstone 3.jpg
 
I've been to the Mercedes monument in person and can verify that it is indeed life size. Here's a couple photos to prove it.
 

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