Best of 2003: Best Headstones

Clemens Granite Works
10527 Prospect Avenue, Santee
619-449-0670

Family-owned and operated since 1933, owner Frankie Clemens insists on only pure stone and marble (ordered from as nearby as Gopher Canyon and as far away as India, Africa, and Norway). Stones are usually precut before engraving, but can be recut and resized to order. From the time the order is placed, the headstone will be laid atop your loved one within 30 to 60 days. The Clemens family knows the burial and stone restrictions of every local cemetery. Available extras include gilding, personalized ornaments, and portraits -- all designed as permanent. Prices range from $300 for a flat marker to several thousand for ornate monuments. They also make memorial plaques and markers for other events. All orders are changeable until they are written in the stone.