My number one and *only* goal is to help!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JAN 2023 UPDATE: I am fighting stage 4 rare type duodenal adenocarcinoma (cancer) and cannot travel as I once did. This means I may request more photos instead of getting them personally. Please have patience and know that I am still dedicated, it just takes me a touch longer now.

Please do not take offence by updated pictures on memorials. Change happens. Cover photos can still be changed to a prettier picture. It is important as visual record keepers to maintain the honest conditions of our fellow beings. For example, if a stone was once legible and is now missing parts or is missing altogether, record it. Take a picture of the area where the marker once was (if you know) and upload it so everyone maintains aware. We should care enough about life to not waste each others time or cause undo pain when they can't find what is shown.

---------------------------------------------------------
My bond with cemeteries formed while looking for my brother, who was missing for 25 years. It was searching high and low for him that a passion developed for photographing, transcribing, categorizing and preserving graveyards and cemeteries. I dedicate my work here on FindAGrave to anyone looking for someone dear. I'm passionate about this on a personal level so I put in a lot of effort researching each person to give the best memorial possible.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please note that I am a human and make mistakes so please be kind when suggesting edit changes. I check for corrections every single day and encourage others to help each other when it comes to gathering information for memorials. I do this on a volunteer basis (so no, I/we don't get paid). There are some stones and graves that I absolutely cannot find because of vandalism, time, overgrowth without signs, relocation, etc. I just ask for patients and understanding. I hope my contributions help others. Thank you for trusting me with your friends and those that are so very valuable.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Learned Things:
*Obituaries are for everyone else to help confirm the identify of who they seek. Not adding one when you have one may prevent someone from the closure they may need or completing the research they need for genealogy purposes.
*GET PERMISSION BRFORE TOUCHING A STONE! Many things that seem harmless can do harm in time. Vinegar, baking soda, any citrus, any bleaches, etc. will do harm. Some things may not do immediate harm to the eye but just because you can't see it, doesn't mean the stone material isn't breaking down.
*Not all stone material is the same. Knowing the differences can help preservation and prevent accidents.
*Just because you get something out of a state Archive, does NOT mean the information is correct. Listen to the families and try to work with them. This is not a soul collection, treat each memorial with respect, love, and care.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I reserve strict copyright over my own photography. My photos posted on find a grave are for research purposes only and *DO NOT have permission* to be used with any other website or used for monetary gain, no exceptions! Find A Grave grants each contributor to hold copywrite over their own work. That means users hold the right to hold anyone accountable for theft of property without direct permission of the photographer, which can and has been (successfully) pursued in a court of law.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For smooth transfer requests please include who you'd like transferred, relationship to person, °your° find a grave ID and theirs. Please send the requests on here so it doesn't get lost in emails.

My number one and *only* goal is to help!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JAN 2023 UPDATE: I am fighting stage 4 rare type duodenal adenocarcinoma (cancer) and cannot travel as I once did. This means I may request more photos instead of getting them personally. Please have patience and know that I am still dedicated, it just takes me a touch longer now.

Please do not take offence by updated pictures on memorials. Change happens. Cover photos can still be changed to a prettier picture. It is important as visual record keepers to maintain the honest conditions of our fellow beings. For example, if a stone was once legible and is now missing parts or is missing altogether, record it. Take a picture of the area where the marker once was (if you know) and upload it so everyone maintains aware. We should care enough about life to not waste each others time or cause undo pain when they can't find what is shown.

---------------------------------------------------------
My bond with cemeteries formed while looking for my brother, who was missing for 25 years. It was searching high and low for him that a passion developed for photographing, transcribing, categorizing and preserving graveyards and cemeteries. I dedicate my work here on FindAGrave to anyone looking for someone dear. I'm passionate about this on a personal level so I put in a lot of effort researching each person to give the best memorial possible.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please note that I am a human and make mistakes so please be kind when suggesting edit changes. I check for corrections every single day and encourage others to help each other when it comes to gathering information for memorials. I do this on a volunteer basis (so no, I/we don't get paid). There are some stones and graves that I absolutely cannot find because of vandalism, time, overgrowth without signs, relocation, etc. I just ask for patients and understanding. I hope my contributions help others. Thank you for trusting me with your friends and those that are so very valuable.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Learned Things:
*Obituaries are for everyone else to help confirm the identify of who they seek. Not adding one when you have one may prevent someone from the closure they may need or completing the research they need for genealogy purposes.
*GET PERMISSION BRFORE TOUCHING A STONE! Many things that seem harmless can do harm in time. Vinegar, baking soda, any citrus, any bleaches, etc. will do harm. Some things may not do immediate harm to the eye but just because you can't see it, doesn't mean the stone material isn't breaking down.
*Not all stone material is the same. Knowing the differences can help preservation and prevent accidents.
*Just because you get something out of a state Archive, does NOT mean the information is correct. Listen to the families and try to work with them. This is not a soul collection, treat each memorial with respect, love, and care.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I reserve strict copyright over my own photography. My photos posted on find a grave are for research purposes only and *DO NOT have permission* to be used with any other website or used for monetary gain, no exceptions! Find A Grave grants each contributor to hold copywrite over their own work. That means users hold the right to hold anyone accountable for theft of property without direct permission of the photographer, which can and has been (successfully) pursued in a court of law.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For smooth transfer requests please include who you'd like transferred, relationship to person, °your° find a grave ID and theirs. Please send the requests on here so it doesn't get lost in emails.