Tombstones Continue to Turn Up : Deliveries to Cemeteries Come From Defunct Business

The Mystery of the Missing Tomb Markers deepened Saturday.

Four grave markers from Valley Memorials Lodge Monument Co. of Encino, which went out of business without warning 12 days ago, have turned up at a Chatsworth cemetery.

And a North Hollywood woman who purchased a marker from the company said Saturday that it had appeared at a cemetery near her home.

The appearances cast more darkness than light on the circumstances surrounding the closure of Valley Memorials.

Bewildered, grieving customers began showing up at the company’s offices last week, looking for tomb markers that they had purchased.

Sixteen markers were dropped off 12 days ago at Mt. Sinai Mortuary in Hollywood. Officials said they were left without the proper papers, authorizations or fees to cover placement of the stones.

4 Dropped Off

Norman Ruppert of Oakwood Memorial Park in Chatsworth said Saturday that four markers were dropped off there a week ago, with a check signed by David Lodge, who identified himself as president of Valley Memorials.

Ruppert said he had contacted two families who apparently paid for the markers to be placed in that cemetery.

Ann Butler of Burbank said she had spoken to a David Lodge on the phone a few days ago and had pleaded with him to bring her deceased husband’s marker to Valhalla Memorial Park. “I didn’t know where it was, but I just cried and cried to him,” she said.

The grave marker showed up the following day at Valhalla, she said. “I’m glad it showed up, but it was a hard week dealing with that.”

She said her husband died in March, and she paid $500 for the marker and placement fees.

She said she still may have to pay the cemetery for the marker’s placement. Attempts to reach Lodge on Saturday were unsuccessful.