If you’re not aware, I lost my Mom this past January. My Brother Bill, friends Pat, and Ginette and all our wive’s friends were a great help; especially hosting us and helping us grieve.
But the logistics of it all was my obligation. The service was grand and Father Ray held a beautiful Mass, but the cherry on top is really marking my Mom’s resting site with something appropriate, meaningful, but oh ever so short.
Trying to solve that issue from 1300 miles away was not easy and of course I rely on the internet to locate, select and acquire many things. First you find the monument companies, I started in Eastern CT; you call them up, you ask questions and try to learn, make an informed decision. You kiw I couldn’t believe some of the pitches and utter BS I heard. When I mentioned to one company I found them over the internet the guy went off on me about “Grout Granite” and “Memorial Granite” etc. etc. I thought I was visiting a used car lot, the BS was that bad. Of course I could honor my Mother with a plain piece of his “Memorial Granite” for $2,000 plus installatiion. Common, 2K for a 12″x24″x4″ piece of rock ?
So back to the web; lo and behold there are web based monument companies. After review of services, trying to check with things like the BBB I selected, drumroll please,
Burleson Monument Design & Mfg., Inc. of 216 East Ellison St. Burleson, Texas 76028
They had the appropriate designs, specified Grade A Granite and they described a very well run process; art generation, approval, cemetery approval, delivery, and would arrange the installation. I was to be engaged of every step. Everything a dutiful son 1300 miles from home needed and for much less than Mr Memorial Granite too!
So I paid, this was last May, the entire process was to be completed no later than August at the very latest.
So starting in the late summer, when there was no stone or no word, I started to call; first weekly, but nothing happened but empty promises. Only when I finally started making daily calls and intimated that I was preparing to take action to recover the payment did I even get the artwork for approval and an assurance of delivery by “early” September.
In the mean time I take a new job and move to Denver, where I am immediatley swept up in my new work, finding a house, etc. etc. when I get word from my Brother on Oct 23rd that there’s still no stone.
So I call the installers, out of Bloomfield, CT it’s late there and leave a message, but Burleson is still open. Burleson swears they delivered it and they’ll get right back to me with the details, tomorrow morning.
The next day the installed calls me back and informs me that they have had the stone; for three days. They feel bad about the delays and they promise to have it installed by Friday. Yesterday, Thursday I get a picture of the stone installed.
Thank you Daley Connerton Memorials of Bloomfield, CT for your courtesy, and service. If I had known of you and how you work I would have done everything through you. If you find yourself needing their services in Connecticut I would heartily recommend you.
To anyone considering Burleson Monuments, I urge you to think twice, three time before siging a contract. While the material and workmanship is great, but the service is horrible , the emotional cost is just too damn high and their vaunted “garuantee” is nothing but empty words.
I am still waiting for them to call me back.