Although a monument crafted from quality stone will stand the test of time in the cemetery, Mother Nature might pose maintenance challenges down the road.

“Depending on the memorial’s location — whether it’s under a tree or exposed to a lot of sun —it’s probably going to need a cleaning at some point,” said Anthony Minozzi, Vice President of Travis Monuments, which has four locations throughout Orange, Rockland and Putnam counties in New York.

The fourth generation of a family of Italian and American stone carvers, Minozzi said the biggest issue is water. “It all comes back to moisture,” he said, explaining how over time natural staining from moss and lichen growth can impact the legibility of any engraving. “Moisture is not your friend in the granite world.”