What is Cemetery Lettering?

If you have purchased a pre-need monument or marker and need to add an inscription, Tegeler Monument and Loeblein Memorials can help. Whether you need to add an entire panel or just a simple death date, we will make the process of planning a cemetery plot as easy as possible for you. We understand that you are going through a tough time right now and that you need someone you can rely on to get your engraved grave marker done.

Let us explain a little more about our process…

The process to add an inscription to an existing monument or marker is called lettering. Lettering is typically done on site, at the cemetery. If we are adding a panel, or just a date, we will not need to remove the stone from the cemetery to complete the work. However, if you would like to get the back of an existing monument engraved with a design, we will need to remove the stone and bring it back to our shop to complete the work. We make sure to match all of our lettering to what is currently on the existing stone. We match the font, size, and spacing so everything looks uniform.

There are a few different options when it comes to lettering. The most common three are adding a panel, inscribing a blank panel, and adding a death date.

• Adding a Death Date. When we add a death date, we typically match the layout of the birth date for the deceased.
  If you have the entire date written as: Nov. 1, 1900, we will also put the death date in this format.
• Adding a Panel. You will know if you have panels on your stone if the names and dates are in a box or even possibly a book. If the name that is already on the stone is in a panel, we will match what the panel looks like for the name being added.
• Inscribing a Panel. Sometimes when you buy a monument or marker for two people, one of them is still with us, and having your name on a tombstone may make you uncomfortable. That is understandable. In this case, we would plan to add a second name to the stone by including a blank panel. Once it is time to add the inscription inside the blank panel, we will match the layout of the existing name and dates, so everything matches exact.

How Do I Know Which Type of Lettering I Need?

Sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish which type of headstone lettering you may need on your existing monument or marker. Below are some helpful diagrams that show the distinctions between the different types of lettering.

What if I Need to Engrave The Entire Back Side of My Monument?

Tegeler Monument and Loeblein Memorials can also help you if you need a headstone engraving for the entire back side of a monument. Depending on the amount of work that needs to be done, we may have to remove the stone from the cemetery and bring it back to our shop to complete the work. Below are some diagrams and an explanation of whether we may need to remove the stone from the cemetery.

At Tegeler Monument and Loeblein Memorials, we understand that this may be completely new to you. We strive to help our customers understand exactly what goes down when purchasing a memorial for a loved one and planning cemetery stone engraving. If you are in need of grave marker lettering or you have questions about our process, then give us a call or fill out our online contact form and one of our team members will get in touch with you shortly! Let us help you plan and create the perfect monument for your loved one in Maryland and beyond.