A memorial serves many practical and emotional purposes. Permanent memorialization placed within a cemetery helps to document and record of an individual’s life, connecting visitors to both the past and future. In addition to commemorating an individual in perpetuity, a physical marker also helps mourners to cope with loss during the grieving process. The erecting of a memorial or monument, an installation or dedication ceremony, and on-going visitation are acts of remembrance that help mourners in their grieving process to move from a life with an individual’s physical presence to preserving one’s memory. It is a deep-rooted part of human culture for thousands of years to create memorials.
