NASCAR Headstone Banned By Cemetery (PHOTO)

Custom Headstone Disallowed by Church

An Indiana woman who spent $10,000 on a custom headstone for her late husband’s grave is now suing a church that has disallowed its placement. Shannon Carr, whose husband Jason died in a 2009 car accident, met resistance when she tried to have a sofa-shaped monument, complete with logos from the Indianapolis Colts football team, NASCAR, a dog and a deer placed on her husband’s grave in the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church cemetery.

A priest at the church, Reverend Johathon Meyer, informed the maker of the monument that the marker violated the standards of the cemetery, and the church would not allow it to be placed there. Carr claims in her lawsuit that the standards were adopted at least one year after she tried to have the marker installed.

“We provided the family funeral rites, prepared a funeral meal and offered family members individual counseling after the services,” Meyer said. “We were with them the entire way until this matter came up.”

“They told her not to move forward with the purchasing of the monument, but she went ahead anyway,” Meyer said. “We have consistently communicated the same message prior to the purchase and after the purchase. We did not think a granite couch was an appropriate monument in our historic cemetery.”

Henry Carr, father of the deceased, said “I’m told the controversy is splitting the church apart, tearing it in half. But I guess that’s what has to be done.”

The Indianapolis archdiocese has stated the issue falls outside court jurisdiction. Reverend Meyer insists the rules create good for everyone.

On The Web:

Man’s NASCAR headstone banned by church; widow sues
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/man-nascar-headstone-banned-church-widow-sues-144027693–nascar.html

Widow sues church over refusal to install late husband’s NASCAR-inspired headstone
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/03/10/widow-sues-church-over-refusal-to-install-late-husband-nascar-inspired/