Posted on 07/31/2007 3:28:29 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd
SPRINGVILLE, Utah (AP) - The cemetery headstone for a teenager who died in a car wreck was repossessed after a $750 bill went unpaid. "That's just business," said Linda Anderson of Memorial Art Monument. "If we give every stone to everybody, we'd be out of business. They'd repossess your car if you didn't make payments." Brady Conger, 17, and two friends died when their car smashed into a sport utility vehicle a year ago Thursday.
Memorial Art said bills sent to one address were returned, and the business couldn't reach Brady's mother, who apparently had agreed last year to pay the balance. "The end result was that there was absolutely no one who I could talk to about this," owner Mike Anderson said.
Brady's classmates raised money to pay the bill, and the headstone will be installed again this week.
WOW, this Mike Anderson must not want to be in this particular business anymore since he must love bad PR more.
What exactly could he do with the headstone once it was removed? Shave off the kids name? and resell it ?
What a friggen looser.
“What a friggen looser.”
The parent(s) sound like the real loosers.
It’s funny how people don’t mind giving away other people’s stuff. It’s only when it’s coming out of their own wallets that it becomes a problem. I agree that the deadbeat parent is the loser.
I believe so.
Regardless, it should have been paid, and it sounds as though the gravestone folks tried to contact the boy's mother, to no avail.
Ever see the movie "Funny Farm?"
Seems to me when we bought the marker for my dad’s grave, we had to pay in full, before it was inscribed. As the old Italian stonecutter told us “ after I putta you name in it I can’t sell it to somebody elsa”
The margin of profit for many businesses these days isn’t very good. One $750 loss like this could take three to seven other sales to make up. I can’t fault the firm for needing to get paid. They provide a service and need to be compensated. If they adopted your policy, nobody would be in the business of providing gravestones.
Face it, the only service they provide is to the families of dead people. Where do you draw the line in light of that? They couldn’t ever challenge non-payment if your premise was the correct one.
Claude Mussleman? Great movie...lottalaughs. I really like the Christmas season parts...
Possible the grieving mother simply forget after she moved.
Father had no clue until he shows up at the cemetary and the monument is gone.
The bill has now been paid, the tactic used I personally find reprehensible.
The mistake was in allowing the headstone to be carved and put in place before it was paid in full. You aren’t required to order an expensive headstone or, indeed, to put a headstone on the grave immediately. The cemetery will provide a temporary headstone. Some people take years to emplace the permanent headstone. If they couldn’t afford the headstone, why did they order it?
Most small business men are not independently wealthy, like you appear to be. Why don’t you use some of your money to set up a foundation to buy headstones for folks?
I appreciate your opinion, but if it were your business I don’t think you’d opt to shut it down rather than reposess something you had created at the family’s request. There’s nothing reprehensible about their actions whatsoevery IMO. It’s unfortunate they were put in this position, but they acted in good faith all the way along.
I couldn’t afford a headstone for my husband’s grave. In fact, I couldn’t afford a grave. So he didn’t get one. We are scattering his ashes in the Blue Ridge. I know he would like that.
A headstone is not a “musthave” item.
I bet you find repossessing organ recipients reprehensible too!
I think that is a much better tribute than cold stone.. My Dad is in the Rocky Mountains.. Soon to be joined by his wife, and my mother... come October...
King Vanity is donating his body to Body Works inc (plastication) along with his WC if they will use it along with his body for the exhibit.
I am going to be a cadaver for teaching purposes.
Sorry about your loss. I’m sure your husband would appreciate that gesture. I hope my wife shows the same sense if I die before her.
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