Headstone assembly and method for lawn crypt

A burial method for a lawn crypt, comprising the steps of:

• installing a crypt having a removable lid in an excavated hole in the ground at a predetermined level below the ground level, the removable lid having a head end and a foot end, and an upwardly directed headstone holder projecting upwardly from the lid at a location adjacent the head end of the lid, the headstone holder having an upwardly facing, rectangular cavity;
• re-filling the hole with soil above the crypt;
• at the time of the first interment, excavating the soil above the crypt to expose the crypt lid;
• removing the crypt lid;
• inserting a casket into the crypt and subsequently replacing the lid;
• inserting the lower end of a headstone into the cavity in the headstone holder so that an upper end portion of the headstone projects above the ground level;
• filling the cavity around the headstone with a filler material;
• re-filling the hole to the ground level to cover the lid and headstone holder;
• and
• engaging a rectangular opening in a base member over the upper end portion of the headstone, and sliding the base member downwardly over the headstone until the base member rests on the ground to provide a horizontal surface surrounding the headstone.

A lawn crypt installation, comprising:

• a burial vault having a removable lid having an upper face, the burial vault being installed in a hole in the ground;
• a headstone holder projecting upwardly from the upper face of the lid adjacent one end of the lid;
• the headstone holder having an upwardly extending, rectangular cavity of cross-sectional shape substantially matching the cross-sectional shape of a headstone and cross-sectional dimensions larger than the cross-sectional dimensions of a headstone, the cavity having an open upper end;
• a headstone of generally rectangular cross-section having a lower end portion engaged in said rectangular cavity and an upper portion projecting upwardly out of said cavity;
• a filler material covering the hole in the ground over the lid up to ground level, whereby the headstone projects upwardly out of the ground;
• and
• a base member having a rectangular opening engaged over the headstone and a flat lower face resting on the ground surrounding the headstone, the base member having at least one circular opening spaced from the rectangular opening for holding a container.