The deceased was a Canadian citizen who had ambitions of becoming a pilot.

An extravagant monument with the US flag, the deceased was a US citizen.

A practice is emerging in Jamaica where persons are spending thousands of dollars to get customised graves to immortalise their loved ones.

THE STAR understands that relatives of the deceased are spending on average $150,000 to $300,000 for these elaborate monuments. In comparison, checks by THE STAR reveal that a normal grave can cost between $12 and $50,000. This figure is less than the $100,000 starting price for the fancy graves.

Managing Director of Exodus Funeral Home, Errol Green, told THE STAR that his company is responsible for some of the extravagant monuments that are currently located in the Annotto Bay Cemetery.

He boasted of having created a massive castle headstone located in the cemetery, along with other structures such as an aeroplane and a host of others.

creations

Green told THE STAR that the driving force behind his creations is to ensure that the deceased are not forgotten.

"It is the final resting place for someone, so I want it to be a memorable site that brings attention so that the person is not forgotten. If there is a masterpiece, people will want to keep it clean and visit it regularly," he said.

He also told THE STAR that the types of monuments that are requested by his clients are usually according to the deceased's lifestyle when they were alive.

"The family wants the deceased to be remembered according to their lifestyle and ambitions, for instance there is a headstone in the shape of an aeroplane in the Annotto Bay Cemetery, it was the deceased's dream to be a pilot."

Green,.p though tight-lipped about the exact cost to create these structures, told THE STAR that it would start from $170,000 up, depending on the size and detail and this cost is not inclusive of funeral preparations.

THE STAR contacted other funeral homes that offer similar services and they too were tight-lipped about the exact cost to create these awe-inspiring monuments.

Speaking on anonymity, a Linstead-based headstone company told THE STAR that to create a miniature house on a grave, inclusive of veranda, would cost around $100,000, while a grave with complete granite tombing would cost on average $300,000.