During the past two decades, the number of ways you can memorialize a deceased loved one has increased significantly. No longer limited to a headstone or gravemarker within the confines of a cemetery, the ever-growing range of product and service options available today makes it relatively easy to select a fitting and meaningful tribute. This article explores how you can establish a memorial bench in a public place to honor a loved one.
Did you know that Central Park in New York City, New York, contains more than 9,000 benches? Every day, countless numbers of the park’s 38 million annual visitors pause to rest on these benches and perhaps reflect on the beauty of a particular tree or water fountain, or simply marvel at the presence of this 843-acre “emerald gem” in the heart of a bustling metropolis.
What many might not notice, however, is that more than 2,000 of these benches bear small, engraved plaques, signifying that someone has “adopted” the bench – often in memory of a deceased loved one. According to the Central Park Conservancy, the organization responsible for the park’s maintenance and operation, one plaque bears this lovely inscription: “C’est Lui Pour Moi, Moi Pour Lui, Dans La Vie” (In life, there is only him for me, and me for him). Others bear the more traditional “In memory of…” format with the deceased’s name and birth and death dates.
If this method of honoring a loved one appeals to you, then you might be surprised to learn that memorial-bench programs similar to Central Park’s “Adopt-A-Bench” opportunity are available all over the country – and perhaps even in your community.