My name is Stephanie Campbell, and I have been a cemetery & death-culture enthusiast for my entire life. Becoming a ‘Grave Maid’ has been a work in progress for many years. It is exactly what is sounds like! I provide a service that many people are bothered doing themselves because of the feelings associated with it, & that's why I'm here to help. Preservation of history is a key reason for what I
do, in addition to providing a sense of vigilance over the deceased person. You should know that harsh chemicals and pressure washers are never used to clean a stone. I only use eco-friendly solutions that are formulated to only remove dirt, byproducts of air pollution, mold staining, algae, mildew, and lichen. As a pastor’s daughter, and at one time a funeral service employee, I have spent much of my time at the gravesides of people I knew & loved. Because I spent a lot of time in cemeteries, I was bound to notice the deterioration of some monuments. Many I saw were blackened, grimey, or left illegible by the inevitable impacts of climate and time. This took to bothering me inwardly, and the more I noticed, the more I felt a sense that I needed to ‘do something.’
The ‘light bulb moment’ occurred one day when I was researching my family history, and I found myself on findagrave. On it was my 5th great grandmother’s stone (died in 1833), that was no longer readable, and someone posted a tribute comment underneath it. This stranger said, "Did you know that one day I would find this spot and come visit you? It took many years, but I finally found you." That was the moment I knew I had to find a way to do something with my time within the lines of 'after care'. My role as ‘the Grave Maid’ is to act as a caretaker for the departed, while also providing their resting place with a sense of vigilance, dignity, and commitment. My belief is that a walk through a cemetery is a glimpse into our local history, and it’s important to preserve that. I am a proud encourager of the ‘death positive’ movement, which is a mindset that desires to bring back cultural traditions surrounding death that we used to hold dear - Things such as ‘sitting up with the dead’, families having more of an active part in caring for a body, not shying away from hard conversations, talking openly about our beliefs, etc. There is such a ‘taboo’ surrounding death nowadays; so much in fact, that we often run from it, and I strongly feel this is a set of roots we need to shift back to. After all, one thing is for sure: We are all going to pass away someday. It’s time we talk more openly about it and remember what's really important to us while we’re here.
