Gardens of Stone --- A Cemetery Blog by Alexandra Kathryn Mosca

  Walter B. Cooke's was once a busy chain of independently owned funeral homes throughout the New York metropolitan area. At the time of Cooke's death, in 1972, there were 13 locations. Cooke's motto was: "A funeral should never cost more than a family can afford" and for many years the company advertised a complete funeral for $150. Cooke is entombed in a private family room in Ferncliff Cemetery. The Cooke name was absorbed by SCI/Dignity Memorial.

  My article: "The Power of Eternal Love: Unforgettable Love Stories That Transcend Even Death" is the cover story for this month's American Cemetery & Cremation magazine.  The cover shot is of the monument artist Marc Chagall designed for his beloved wife, Bella, when she died at the age of 49. Other love stories include Charles & Jane Griffith (Green-Wood), Jonathan & Mary Reed (Evergreen) Lawrence and Elvira Wegielski (Woodlawn) William Wetmore Story & Emelyn (Protestant Cemetery in Rome).