Helping People Commemorate Life's Events March, 2001  Helping People Commemorate Life's EventsBy Charlene Gunn, Bayside News - March 15, 2001 When you hear the name Affordable Memorials, you probably think of gravestones or monuments. While funeral-related items are still a majority of the company's business, other commemorative pieces are becoming more popular. ''We try to commemorate life events for our customers,'' said John McQueen, owner of Affordable Memorials. ''We can make a custom address plaque for that dream house, bronze the new baby's first shoes or provide a garden memorial for a loved one.'' Of course, many life events are related to the death of a relative, friend or pet. Affordable Memorials has several unique servicesfor someone looking to honor someone or something special after a death. One unique service, Forget-Me-Not Floral Tributes, was created because of the hectic pace of today's lifestyle. McQueen says many people have good intentions of placing flowers on a gravesite for special occasions, but like anything else, it sometimes is missed. ''With the Forget-Me-Not Floral Tribute, one can ensure that flowers are delivered to a particular site on special days,'' continued McQueen. ''Birthdays, Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day and Father's Day are the most requested days.'' The cost of a two-occasion delivery to a local site is just $79. A seven-occasion delivery runs about $250. Out-of-state deliveries can be arranged; however, costs are dependent on the florist at the location. Another service is the Eternal Reef Memorial. ''Because of the popularity of cremation and the fact that we, in this area, live on the water, many people are opting for scattering remains in the water,'' said McQueen. ''But this does not allow the family to have a permanent place to visit to remember their loved ones.'' Working with a company in Atlanta, Affordable Memorials can arrange for part of the cremated remains to be included in cast reef balls. A bronze plaque is attached. The reef is dropped in the water location of the family's choice. ''We cannot guarantee the exact location of the release. Currently, we are working with the state of Florida for a reef to be placed near Egmont Key,'' said McQueen. ''The reef is a permanent reminder and also helps to reestablish the reef system off of our coast.'' Probably one of the most comforting services offered by Affordable Memorials is a purchaser's ability to track an order. After ordering, a confirmation is sent to ensure correct spellings and verify the order. Also included is an estimated arrival date. ''With a lot of memorial companies, customer's don't know the status of their order after they have paid for it,'' said McQueen. ''After installation, we take a digital picture and send it to the purchaser for their peace of mind.'' Pictures are also loaded onto the company's website (www.affordablememorials.com), so that out-of-town friends and relatives may view the finished product. The McQueen name is well known in St. Petersburg. McQueen's father founded Anderson-McQueen Funeral Home with John Anderson in 1952. After the senior McQueen's death in 1987, the three McQueen children took over the business and expanded it to include five funeral homes in Pinellas County. Affordable Memorials, a separate company, is located at 689 9th Street N, in a refurbished older building. McQueen says part of the company's motto is ''Preserving today's memories for tomorrow's generations.'' ''We thought it only proper that the location we chose for the business be historical, but also offer modern conveniences for our customers on the south end of Pinellas County.'' Affordable Memorials can be reached at 823-1610. |