 Mr. Whitney Thompson from Jacksonville, Florida contacted us desiring a memorial rock for his stepdaughter, LeAnne Brown.
Mr. Thompson later wrote us stating, “LeAnne and her sister Lisa are my stepdaughters (Brown). When my wife of 30 years, Nita, and I married, she had two beautiful young daughters and I had a son, Kevin, of whom I had custody. We meshed well as a family; they called me ‘Dad,’ and Kevin called Nita ‘Mom.’”
“After LeAnn’s untimely death, we moved from her childhood home. We found a new home with a garden in front of the house. We put up an angel statue as a memorial to LeAnne. Nita even used a small river rock with her name and dates of birth and death. There just seemed to be something missing; the small river rock was just difficult to see. That’s when I found your wonderful company through the internet.”
At the outset of our relationship, we emailed Mr. Thompson a sample of available products, and Mr. Thompson wrote us back stating, “The information received was excellent. I look forward to seeing the actual product in my garden.” We informed him to expect the product within 2 to 4 weeks for delivery.
Within a couple of weeks, Mr. Thompson wrote us stating, “Just received our stone. A beautiful piece of art work. More exceptional than we had hoped. We will spread the word for your company.”
Later, we wrote Mr. Thompson asking him for pictures, as we had not taken any before shipping him LeAnne’s memorial. After a while, he wrote us saying, “Sorry it took so long, but I hope it was worth it. I think these photos will give you an idea of how much your stone has added to our garden. I can’t begin to thank you for your beautiful work, and can’t tell you how many wonderful comments we receive about your work. Thanks, from grateful parents.”
We requested Mr. Thompson’s permission to use his remarks and his photographs, and he graciously agreed.
Mr. Thompson wrote us stating, “You may certainly use the pictures and my comments. Let me gather my thoughts on your article and I will send them to you. LeAnne is our daughter who died in a car accident a week after her 18th birthday in October of 1990. This was our way of honoring and remembering her. I will talk with my wife and get back to you far quicker than the photos.”
Shortly after that letter, Mr. Thompson wrote us again, stating, “I purchased the stone and this year on Mother’s Day I presented it to my wife Nita. Nita and I stood in front of the garden and just broke down with tears of pure joy. What had been missing from LeAnne’s garden was now in its proper place. Again, I can’t thank you enough for the beautiful work, and I know LeAnne is very proud of her garden.”
A couple of observations apply. First, we had great clients. We are always thankful for those. Second, our desire to achieve maximum effectiveness is only achieved by listening to our clients and fulfilling or exceeding their expectations. Third, and finally, memorials can evoke powerful memories that bring peace of mind to those who survive a tragic loss.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson, for allowing us to share your family’s story.
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