Gravestone Guardians of Ohio
Welcome to Gravestone Guardians of Ohio. We are very dedicated to the preservation of tombstones and grave markers. We work with the latest techniques in the cleaning and repairing of tombstones. We offer a wide ranging list of services to suit the needs of family, cemetery, and community for the purpose of documenting and preserving the monuments to those who came before us. “These People Should Not Be Forgotten” They are our loved ones and our personal links to the past. We wouldn’t have the freedom we do without these people who came before.
“You can judge the character of a town by the way their cemeteries look.”
-Benjamin Franklin.
What We Are About !
We believe ALL cemeteries MATTER !
So many cemeteries need all the help we can muster to make them places we can ALL be proud of.
Let US help YOU find the way to organizing a restoration in your area of the world. Together WE can make a difference !
Probe & Dig & You Will Find Something AMAZING !
Team Work !
We believe in involving YOU & by doing that, together WE can ALL make a difference !
Gravestone Guardians of Ohio offers classes in tombstone & cemetery restoration.
Please call us today to set up a class in your local cemetery & enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done that helps to preserve a little history in your corner of the world.
419 – 689 – 9403
To find out more about classes…call or e-mail us at gravestoneguardians@yahoo.com.
What People Are Saying About Us !
Hi Mark,
Gary and I thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon with you in the Hadley Cemetery. Thank you so much for helping us get started in understanding the nuts and bolts of gravesite repair and restoration. Your commitment and enthusiasm are unmistakable and we learned so much from you. By telling us that only two things are needed for successful cemetery work: common sense and a passion for it, you de-mystified the subject, and made all of us feel confident that we, too, could make a difference in our communities. I’m eager to get permission to tackle a particular pioneer cemetery in our hometown. I’ll let you know what happens.
Wishing you continued success with your work,
Sharon
To see more…click on About Us.
We Care Very Much When It Comes To Those Who Have Served Our Country Proudly!
ALL Gave Some, & Some Gave All.
We desperately need your help to raise awareness, education, & most of all, money to support veteran tombstone restoration in your communities.
Please contact us so we may work together to restore veteran grave markers by organizing fund raisers at your post or hall. Our hope is to get each group to adopt at least “1” veteran tombstone. There are roughly 80,000 Civil War vets buried in Ohio alone. Most have marble govt. tombstones, & most of them are only in need of a good cleaning & resetting.
Too many monument companies fly by night types, & DIYers use bleach & acids to clean tombstones.
PLEASE only use an approved bio-wash like D/2.
Tombstone cleaning is done with top quality non-acidic products recommended by the Association of Gravestone Studies and other qualified tombstone preservationists. Mold, lichen, moss, and other organisms are cleaned away to leave the stone in the most preservation minded state of restoration. Common ‘handy-man’ cleaning techniques such as bleach and wire brushes can damage the stone and are never used.
The Nyalox wheel is an auto body tool used to take off rust and paint to prep a metal surface plainly and simply. It was never manufactured or intended to be used in cemetery preservation or restoration. It’s the equivalent of using a dremel to clean your teeth instead of a toothbrush. I’m sure your teeth will be very white and stain free, but how long will they last now that you have removed all the enamel?
Hiring a company that uses this technique may improve the looks of your cemetery, but looks are all you are improving and those will be temporary. If you are hiring a company that uses this technique to restore a cemetery, you aren’t restoring anything, you are allowing someone to come in & destroy the cemetery in short order.
Do not be taken in by a company that wants to present the argument, “we are not preservationists, we are restorationists”. This is a cheap argument, preservation and restoration is really the same thing, it is only a black and white difference between a good method and aharmful method. We strongly encourage you to choose a cemetery conservator who follows the best practice guidelines, whether it is us or another reputable company or individual. It should always be about doing what is best for the cemetery.
More on this under the “Do’s and Don’t’s” section from above.
Gravestone Guardians of Ohio uses only top quality preservation/restoration products & materials in the field of tombstone repair. This provides the strongest, permanent, and aesthetic repairs in the field. Specially formulated epoxies provide the strength for most repairs, cracks and chips and can be filled with lime mortars to color match the stone.
Continuing education is very important to stay on the cutting edge of technology.
To see more…click on About Us.
It would be our honor to bring back the dignity to your ancestor’s tombstone that they deserve, with a preservation minded restoration that all will be proud of for many years to come.
SAVING YOUR FAMILY’S HISTORY – ONE TOMBSTONE AT A TIME
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at 419-689-9403.
Warmest Regards,
Mark – The Gravestone Guardian
