On May 7, 2023, Leonard Walker, a Vietnam veteran who served on active duty in the United States Navy for 11 years and retired as a Chief Petty Officer in 1999, passed away.
He had contracted with local business Monuments of Victoria for a dual headstone when his wife, Bennie Lou Walker, passed away five years earlier.
In the two years and two months since Leonard WalkerƵs passing, his date of death has not been placed on his headstone, leaving his children at a standstill. They do not understand why his date of death has yet to be added.
ƵI just canƵt imagine that it would take two years to engrave onto a headstone,Ƶ Chris Walker, Leonard WalkerƵs son, said. ƵI just donƵt understand what takes so long to do in this process. I donƵt know what to make of it.Ƶ
Monuments of Victoria does not have access to a local worker skilled in the sandblasting trade to complete the engraving. The company contracts an individual in Corpus Christi to complete the task for headstones. With the contractorƵs lengthy travel, older age and obligations to his own monuments company, he has been unable to make routine trips to complete engravings in Victoria.
ƵWeƵre trying to find someone local,Ƶ Kim Phillips, Monuments of Victoria owner, said. ƵWeƵve got at least a dozen families that still need dates of death, if not more than that. ItƵs hard for us to find someone to do that. We hate that this is happening to that family and to other families, but our hands are kind of tied on finding someone that can help us do it.Ƶ
The contractor works in a full circle around Corpus Christi, from Palacios to Alice. A few weeks ago, he notified Monuments of Victoria that after completing a list of engravings, he will no longer service Victoria.
ƵHe just canƵt commit to coming here anymore,Ƶ Phillips said. ƵPart of the reason he got so far behind is heƵs a little aged and, in the summertime, he has to stop working because it gets too hot.Ƶ
Chris Walker and his sisters, Sharon Walker-Isenberg and Lauren Walker, struggle to find closure with their fatherƵs passing without the death date on the headstone. Going to the cemetery where Leonard Walker is buried and not seeing his death date has been stressful, Chris Walker said.
ƵKnowing my father, if there was no death date on my motherƵs side, he would be beside himself,Ƶ Chris Walker said. ƵKnowing how he would feel about it is a little heartbreaking. ItƵs been two years and two months and we know heƵs gone, but not having the death date kind of leaves it open.Ƶ
The Walker siblings desperately want this completed for their parents and have been frustrated with the timeline for getting the death date added. The siblings do not know where they may go from this point to get the project completed. Considerations regarding locating another company to complete the engraving are becoming more prevalent, Chris Walker said.
ƵWe donƵt want this to have a negative impact on Monuments of Victoria, because they do provide a good service to the citizens of Victoria,Ƶ Lauren Walker said. ƵHowever, you reach a point where you canƵt talk to them anymore, because itƵs [always] another excuse.Ƶ
Monuments of Victoria is searching for a new individual to complete sandblast engravings for their headstones. The company is looking for an individual who is skilled in the trade so they do not damage headstones, but it is struggling to find someone in the area.
ƵA handheld machine and sandblasting that carves those letters into those stones, thereƵs just not a lot of people that do that,Ƶ Phillips said. ƵWe have a gentleman that does it in Hallettsville, but he wonƵt travel to Victoria. HeƵs busy enough in that area.Ƶ
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