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

  Many artfully designed Celtic crosses can be seen in cemeteries. A favorite of mine is the one that marks the grave of industrialist Andrew Carnegie and his family in Sleepy Hollow. The Celtic cross --a traditional cross accentuated by a circle--has been part of the culture of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, from ancient times. Many believe that the cross symbolizes God's eternal presence, as well as Christ's sacrifice and victory over death. Another of my favorites can be found in Providence, Rhode Island's Swan Point Cemetery.  In upper Manhattan's Trinity Cemtery, a 16-foot high Celtic cross, adorned with animal carvings, towers over the grave of John James Audubon. 

One of the not to be missed monuments in Kensico Cemetery is the pink pyramid that graces the graves of Civil War surgeon Major Howard Pinkney, M.D., and his family.

  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).  

Silent film director, J. Gordon Edwards, worked for Fox Films before it merged with Twentieth Century Pictures. While with Fox, he directed more than 50 films, including the original Cleopatra, starring silent screen star Theda Bara. The co-mingled cremains of Edwards and his wife, Angela, are inurned in one of the crypt spaces in their mosque-shaped mausoleum, which is decorated with movie props from some of Edwards' movies.

  The mausoleum of the Lewis family in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery evokes images of enchanted cottages in the woods.

Soft and buttery, Spritz cookies began as a Scandinavian Christmas tradition that involves squiring the dough through a press with patterned holes and dipping the cookies in chocolate or other flavorings. Today, it is a tradition shared by many countries and cultures, and many home bakers have their favorite take on the recipe. One of the most special is the one Naomi Miller-Dawson made for her family. And what makes this particular recipe so special, is that it is etched into her tombstone.    I had heard about the Spritz Cookie gravestone, for some time,  But it wasn't until early this year, that I finally saw the unique monument.  On a cold, but sunny, day in February, I met up with Marge Raymond, Green-Wood Cemetery's most popular tour guide, to tour the grounds and interview her for an upcoming article. After showing me a number of interesting sites, she led me to the pink granite monument topped by what appears to be an open cookbook. There, across two stone pa...

I came upon the grave of Dr. Auguste Renouard quite by accident when I was working on my Green-Wood Cemetery book. And, of course, I included a photo of it in the book.   Considered "the father of arterial embalming."  Renouard's monument is a tribute to him and notes: E rected by the Funeral Directors and Embalmers of the United States in Recognition of the Valuable Services of August Renouard in Advancing the Science of the Preservation of the Dead. Trained as a medical doctor, he developed a keen interest in embalming, writing often on the subject for funeral industry trade journals. In 1878, Renouard published what is said to be the first embalming textbook, 'The Undertaker's Manual.' Several years later, he opened The Renouard Training School for Embalmers in New York City. The mortuary school had a stellar reputation for turning out some of the most skilled embalmers of the time. Dr, Renouard died on March 13, 1912. Three years after Renouard's death...

  Mary Higgins Clark, known as the 'Queen of Suspense,' was a beloved and prolific writer in the mystery and suspense genre for over four decades. With more than 50 books to her name, many of which were adapted into movies, Clark had a profound impact on the literary world.  After discovering that she was laid to rest in Westchester's Gate of Heaven Cemetery, I set out one summer afternoon to find her grave. Though initially mistaken by a similar Clark monument, I eventually located her final resting place in a bucolic and shady grove. Higgins died at the age of 92 and was buried with her first husband, Warren.

  The sighting of the Headless Horseman is a Halloween tradition at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.