Grave Tending as a Family Business
Recently, I was cleaning a headstone in a cemetery close to where my parents live. I sent them a text to let them know, and my dad joined me. Not only was it nice to have a bit of help, but I am grateful for every opportunity to spend time with my family.
As many of you know, this whole grave tending business was really my dad’s idea. Back in 2016, we were at our town’s Memorial Day event, listening to the speeches. My parents arrived a bit late, having come directly from planting flowers at my grandparents’ gravesite. Dad knew I was searching for a side business and struggling to find the right one. I’ll never forget that moment. He walked up to me, leaned over, and said, “You know what you should do? Take care of people’s gravesites. Plant flowers, clean them up, make them look cared for.”
A Family Affair
From the start, my dad helped me with planting and cleaning, and my mom is still phenomenal at trimming and shaping bushes. When my kids got old enough, they started getting in on the business. Clara found a passion for cleaning headstones, and Cammie takes promo videos, photos, and edits all my copy (including this blog post!).
It’s still my business, and I have to coordinate with everyone to work on a job. Ultimately, most of the work in the cemetery…and all of it in the office…falls on me. But knowing that I can rely on Clara to finish a headstone when I can’t, or that Cammie will help me sound articulate—and use an em dash properly—supports me more than they know.
Flexibility
Not every family situation lends itself to working together in the field. Maybe the kids are too young, or your parents live in another state. And not all family members want to hit the cemetery (my husband Steve cheers me on from the sidelines, and he doesn’t even roll his eyes when I head to Starbucks to write yet another article). Sometimes their emotional support is what really helps.
One great aspect of grave tending is its flexibility. You can shift your work model and schedule as your needs change through the years. For me, as my parents gradually stopped working with me, my kids became more active in the business. And when they went away to college, I was able to limit the number of new clients so I could handle the work on my own.
The Ordinary
I wouldn’t trade the fun of driving to a new client site with Cammie for the world. And I love it when Clara and I are out in the cemetery and people stop to have a conversation with her about headstone cleaning. But my favorite part about my family being involved is the normality of it all. When my dad stopped by the cemetery that morning, we weren’t getting together for a special event and there was nothing dramatic happening. We just worked and chatted about everything and nothing, simply enjoying each other’s company and the beautiful day. And when you think about it, how wonderful is that?
Amy
