As a melting pot culture, we each have our family traditions and personalized views of life. The model windmill in your neighbor’s yard, the mezuza on your co-worker’s doorframe, the eagle feather prized by your friend - these are all symbols of our heritage and our family identity. They might be as common as images of the Christian cross, or as obscure as a traditional instrument from the other side of the world, but they help us value our past as we move into our future.

At Sheboygan Monument & Stoneworks, we understand that a life cannot be properly represented by a cookie-cutter memorial. We can work with you to design artwork which truly reflects the heritage and beliefs of your loved one. If we don’t have the right images in our library, we will work with expert engraving artists to design it for you. We are committed to making the extra effort in order to create the best possible stone for you and the deceased.

Whether you have a current need or are simply planning for the future, stop by our showroom and talk to us about the variety of features available. We believe every monument should be as uniquely special as the life it represents.

A trip to your local cemetery will astound you with the variety in types of stone used for monuments. The shining white of limestone competes for your attention with the soft pink of granite; a cast concrete angel with golden wings gazes thoughtfully across the grass towards the graceful lines of a red marble bench. Why is there such a variety, and which type should you choose?

Concrete is an inexpensive material which is easily formed into an unlimited variety of shapes and accepts paint or stain well. However, its lifespan is limited and the finer details will crumble away in a few decades.

Limestone is an old favorite, often used in formal public buildings and in the memorial stones of your great-grandfather’s era. The same characteristics which make it easy to shape and inscribe also make it vulnerable over time to weather and acid rain. We can re-carve the lettering on a weathered stone, but the stone will continue to slowly degrade.

Marble is moderately hard and its fine grain and clear color make it a favorite of sculptors. Its incredible beauty shines from such works of art as Michelangel’s David and the Tomb of the Unknowns in our Capital.

Granite, the hardest of the group, comes in a variety of colors. The rough texture of the unpolished rock makes a beautiful contrast to the mirror-smooth surface which will hold lettering or other carvings. You need only to look at the famous faces of Mount Rushmore to understand the possibilities of working with Granite.

The staff at Sheboygan Monument and Stoneworks are experts in the different types of stone and their best uses. Stop by our showroom to explore the options, and let us help you find the best material for you.

At Sheboygan Monument & Stoneworks, we often get calls from customers who want to use their own stone for a marker or monument. We are happy to help! A member of our expert staff will visit your site to look over the proposed stone with you and discuss its suitability. Is there a flat surface on the stone large enough to hold your design? Are there any cracks or flaws that might break off when exposed to freezing water? Is the type of stone durable enough to make a lasting monument, or will it crumble away?

As with any of our stones, we will work with you to select the best possible options for your project.

Once you have chosen a stone and a design, our crew will spring into action.  We can bring smaller stones back to our shop for carving, or work on site for the larger stones. We can reposition a boulder that isn’t in quite the right place, and power-wash it to bring out the true character of the stone. We give every project the care and attention to detail which you deserve.

If you have questions about carving a natural stone for use as a monument or marker, give our office a call. We’d be happy to explore the options with you, and to set up a house call!

Hi! I’m Range. I’m a dog - a blue heeler, actually, and my breed is famous for being smart and taking care of our families. I’m part of the Sheboygan Monument family, and I’m taking over the blog this week. I want to talk to you about the pet in your family - the animal who takes care of you.

Dogs are loyal. All we want is to be with you and watch over you forever. We get old or sick like other animals, but my people at Sheboygan Memorial have figured out a way to keep us with you many years into the future. Check out these neat little pet cremation containers! There are oak boxes in custom-made sizes from Great Dane to tweety bird.  And dogs may be mostly color-blind, but I still think these little cloisonne containers are pretty. My people can also carve names onto stones and hollow out the back to hold ashes, or do all kinds of things.

Look - I’m a dog. I can’t speak for the cat. But if it was me, I’d rather stay with you than anything else in the world. Have your people talk to my people, and check out all their great ideas for pet cremation containers. And while you’re at it, could you bring along some dog treats for me?

Memorial Day is almost upon us. This special day not only marks the beginning of the summer vacation season; for many families it is a time to visit cemeteries for spring cleaning. Winter debris and faded silk flowers are cleared away, flowers are planted, and the lives of the departed are celebrated in any number of ways. But for the earlier members of your family, this may be getting harder to do.

Early headstones are a wealth of information for amateur and professional genealogists, as well as a tangible reminder of your family’s history and accomplishments. But those headstones may be crumbling from exposure to acid rain and harsh weather, or quite literally sinking into the ground after being placed in an unstable fashion.

At Sheboygan Monument & Stone Works, we can reset your family member’s original stone on a stable, weather- and age-resistant base. We can remove the stains and repair the cracks caused by time, or re-cut the lettering so it remains clear for future generations. We can freshen and improve the appearance of a gravesite in a number of ways, and would be happy to consult with you on the best options for a particular stone.

Flowers last a season, while a refurbished memorial stone will last generations. Contact our showroom to discuss your special Memorial Day project

Roses wilt. Cards fade. Chocolate is not always kind to her hips. And let’s face it: the gold paint from that macaroni-and-yarn necklace you made in first grade flecked off years ago. It’s time to do something meaningful for the woman who kissed your bumps, watched proudly when you donned your graduation cap and gown, and never told Dad how the car’s bumper got scratched.

We have garden stones to tell Mom exactly how you feel about her, and can even prepare a custom stone reflecting your special names or inside joke. An angel statue can share your appreciation for how she’s always watched over you. Or let us engrave a paperweight or stepping stone with flowers that will never wilt or crumble.

In the words of Abraham Lincoln, “All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.” Stop by our showroom this Mother’s Day and find the perfect gift to show your mother how much she means to you.

The choice of a final resting place can be dependent on many factors. Some families may have a family plot or even a private cemetery, where burial space was reserved decades ago.  Others may be making last-minute decisions due to an unexpected event, checking the options close to their residence or place of worship. Still others may have earned the right of military burial in a national cemetery.  Each cemetery will have their own rules and guidelines regarding the types of memorials or monuments which can be placed on their grounds.  Some may dictate that only low, lawn-level grave markers may be used, or prohibit the use of vases filled with artificial flowers.  Others may permit sculpture or other memorials with greater visual impact, but only in certain sections.

The last thing you want to worry about when choosing and designing a memorial for your loved one are the rules and regulations.  At Sheboygan Memorial, we have made it our business to know the applicable rules for each cemetery in our area.  You can relax into the task of designing an appropriate tribute to your loved one, while we make sure your choices are within the guidelines for your particular location.

Our goal is not only to help you select a monument, but to make sure it’s the best memorial possible for the person being honored and for the place it will stand.  Please feel free to contact our office with any questions about our monuments and how they fit in to your cemetery’s requirements.

The days are gone when your options for personalized headstones were limited to names, dates and perhaps a religious symbol. With revolutions in laser etching, ceramics and bronze sculpture, we can help you design a monument which is a true reflection of your loved one. Your family photos can be transformed into weather- and time-resistant ceramic portraits, preserving that special smile for many years to come.

With laser etching, the memorial can display a collection of images from the person’s life: the family farm, the business she founded, his favorite golf course or a full-color bouquet of favorite flowers. And with bronze accessories and plaques, we can provide a classic and fluid look to the headstone. We can scatter a pair of sculpted birds across a bird-lover’s monument, or include a circle of love design for the person who treasured family connections. The qualities of bronze allow us to move into the third dimension, adding depth and a sense of presence to the memorial, and we can work with an artist to create something completely unique. The possibilities are endless.

Your loved one was more than just a set of statistics. Let us design a memorial to celebrate their life and recognize their special qualities.

An old proverb says that “When the World wearies and ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden.” Our gardens in Sheboygan County are just starting to wake up, with a few crocus and miniature daffodils showing tiny flashes of color. Hardscape elements such as decorative stones and pavers lend a structured touch during these dull days, and keep the garden interesting even after the summer’s riot of blossoms has passed. We offer stone benches, garden stones and pavers, each of which can be carved with an almost unlimited variety of images. An etched image of Christ, a favorite saying, or just a humorous picture - we can do it all.

We love unusual projects, and would be happy to work with you to design the perfect garden accent. Our stone benches make a wonderful Mother’s Day gift, and could be etched with the names of her children, grandchildren, or perhaps a favorite verse. If Dad loves hunting, he will be bowled over on Father’s Day by the gift of an engraved stag. Our stones can be hollowed out to hide a spare key or disguise a length of water garden hose. And our whimsically designed pavers will encourage a young child to read and explore.

Best of all, we can tailor the size and type of stone to your particular space. Whether you want something dark and dramatic or a sprinkling of small subtle pieces, we can help you out. Make your garden the place of peace, beauty and contemplation it was meant to be. Stop by our showroom today and let Sara show you the variety of etched stone art available. You will be amazed by the possibilities!

We live in a world of constant change, where a lifetime seems to fly by in an instant and yesterday’s news is . . . yesterday’s news. But in today’s explosion of information, one of the most important sources of our history remains static and nearly immune to floods, computer crashes or changes in fashion: the memorial stone. Whether the life of your loved one was long and full or cut tragically short, the monument chosen for them will be a summary and symbol of their life to future generations. Memorial stones offer a link to the past and will stand long after most paper records and living memories have faded.

With today’s tools and techniques, a memorial stone can provide much more than basic genealogy information. The variety of materials and colors is almost limitless. We can add photographic images, symbols of faith or organizational affiliation, and use a creative approach to ensure that the finished stone is a true reflection of the person it was chosen for. A century or more from now, the casual cemetery visitor will be able to glean a sense of who your loved one was (instead of just when they lived).

Stop by our showroom and ask Sara about options for your own memorial stone; or come tell us about your loved one. We will help you design a memorial as unique as the life it represents.