Oakwood Cemetery Board of Regents Thursday reviewed a request for a glass monument to be located in the cemetery to honor a heart transplant patient who died. Terry Kryder, Madden Monument Company, Auburn, attended the meeting on behalf of a family whose daughter died and had a heart transplant and wanted a glass heart on her tombstone. If the board will not approve the glass heart monument, he requested a granite monument with a glass heart inset. Seattle Glass Monument is the manufacturer for the glass monuments. Cemetery Sexton Hal Heagy said the cemetery only allows 4-inch granite monuments. Glass monuments are prohibited under the cemetery’s current rules. Heagy wants to make sure the glass can withstand weather elements and make sure it is durable. He also wants to research the liability of the monument and who would be responsible to pay for the glass monument if it is damaged. Heagy will research the issues and the board will again discuss the topic at its August meeting. Lewis Dobbins, board member, said he didn’t support allowing a glass monument in the cemetery. “We don’t allow concrete or stone monuments, allowing glass is opening a can of worms,” Dobbins said. The board heard there were 18 burials in June, 12 lots sold, and signed 10 burial deeds during the meeting.
