Updated June 2024

As a tribute to Dads today, we're sharing some letters on our blog from those who have chosen Parting Stone to honor their Fathers. From all of us at Parting Stone, we hope you have a peaceful holiday.

"It’s been almost 2 years since my Dad’s passing on Fathers Day 2022. It was expected and he died with dignity + grace, albeit still estranged from most of the family. I had asked years before his wishes and he liked the idea of his ashes being made into something - a crystal ball or something. So when Parting Stones was mentioned, I figured he’d like it. Some of his kids and grandkids have a few stones. We took some and threw them in the woods at his favorite Maine golf course (where he lived in the 1960s-70s). I have an RV and I carry stones with me. If at a scenic place & he comes to mind, I leave a stone. He loved car trips, so I think he’d be happy. Just thought I’d let you know. I’m happy Parting Stone is an option for those who pass. Thank you for your assistance with them. I appreciated the way they were delivered to me bagged + lovely box"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you. There are no words to explain how happy we are to have these beautiful stones. We can hold them and feel our dad's presence. We show them off to our friends and family because they are just so stunning. Your professionalism and compassion in handling our dad's ashes went above and beyond what we could ever have expected. We send a huge thank you to you and the Parting Stone team."

"Thank you very much for the care you put into my father-in-law's Parting Stones. They are a beautiful reminder that he is always with us. The bags were very thoughtful too - my husband and both children picked a special stone to carry with them. Thank you for making a difficult time in our lives a little easier."

"We love the Parting Stones. They are a wonderful way to remember our Dad. We are able to place them at different locations, places he loved and now his final resting place can be at many loved places. This is our first time using this service and we will again. I love the simplicity and the smooth beautiful stones are comforting to hold and rub. Thank you for this beautiful continuation of life."

"Thank you for help in creating Parting Stones for my dad, Lawrence. These stones were his wish + with them he will be traveling the world like he always wanted. This year he will be left in Venice, Italy, and the Pacific Ocean with many more "trips" to come. To do this for him + in his honor is so very special. Thank you!"

"Thank you for bringing some joy + happiness back into my daughter's faces'. When they were able to hold a piece of their dad again the feeling was indescribable. It was emotional and there were definitely tears shed; some from sadness and some from joy, but we are so happy we have a piece of him back in our house"

"My sister and I received our dad's remains turned into stones. We now carry a few with us everywhere we go! We have some in our purse, pockets and offices. He's always with us and we deeply thank you for that. We appreciate the time and care you took to update us with emails on the progress & they're beautiful!!"

"I received my father's stones several weeks ago. The care taken to package and present his stones are so very touching. Thank you for your work and the detail of your packaging. My dad was quite the outdoorsman and naturalist. He was also an avid traveler and explorer. Part of my decision to pursue the creation of the stones is so I can "take" my dad with me and continue to travel and explore the US and world. Thank you for making that possible."

"Thank you so much for the wonderful Parting Stones made from the ashes of my beloved father, Ted. During COVID we couldn't hold a proper memorial service. So I put several stones and a special memory powerpoint together in a keepsake box and sent all of our family a little piece of Dad. Thank you for allowing me to do that."

"Thank you for what you have done for our family. This was perfect. My father is with us always in our hearts, but now we can hold him and have him with us. My mother, Diane, my brothers Alan, Phil, Keith, all hold you in a dear place."

"Thank you for the amazing work you do through the parting stones. What a blessing to have these stones as a remembrance of our dad. May you be blessed in all your future endeavors as you have touched and blessed our family."

"We love parting stones. They are a wonderful way to remember our Dad. We are able to place them at different locations, places he loved and now his final resting place can be at many loved places. This is our first time using this service and we will again. I love the simplicity and the smooth beautiful stones are comforting to hold and to rub. Thank you for this beautiful continuation of life."

"We had never heard of "parting stones" but we are so glad we chose them. They are treasures. They look like smooth, beautiful river rocks. When the cremation center told me they had shipped via overnight priority, that meant the box was going to make it just in time for our trip up north. I held my breath for a minute when the box got stuck in Chicago. I could hear Dad smirking - yeah, right, sure the post office will deliver as promised. But as I thought it over, Dad was never late for anything. We can all tell you stories of sitting at the airport or somewhere else long before a scheduled event. So I knew there was no way Dad would be late for his own party. The box that should have delivered Tuesday, delivered on Wednesday. We started the drive to Illinois on Friday. Dad was ready in plenty of time. 

What I did not expect when the stones arrived was to see that they were created in Santa Fe. My smile in between all the tears was that Dad got to visit Santa Fe one more time. And I thought of the fun memories of going to Santa Fe with him and of the stories he would tell of his visits to his brother and sister-in-law there. Cocktails, breakfasts at the Cowgirl Cafe, tacos on the square and that 11 mile never-ending stretch of road into Santa Fe where Dad would break out the jailbird joke.

We returned to Illinois over Labor Day weekend, which was also Dad's birthday weekend. We celebrated him with friends over a pizza dinner on Saturday. Dad and pizza, it was a no brainer. Sunday morning would have been his 77th birthday. We went as a family to one of his favorite places, Navy Pier and threw stones into Lake Michigan. Then we sat for drinks and wished Dad a happy birthday.

We each have some of the stones so that we can take Dad with us in our travels and 'leave' him various places he would enjoy. Since Navy Pier, Dad is getting around. To date, Dad is delighting in the fresh air and quiet nature at the Bailey Bridge in the Midewin tallgrass prairie. He is laughing as he rides the log ride every day at Dollywood. And in a small pool part of the way down Amicalola Falls in Georgia, he is enjoying the rushing water and endless Blue Ridge mountain scenic beauty. I think Dad would like our plan of taking him with us to places we liked going with him and to places we had told him about and wanted to see with him. At least once a year when we all get together, we're going to put all of Dad's travel details in a journal so we can reminisce over where we've taken Dad that year. There are really no words to fully express our sincerest gratitude to you for giving us the chance to have more adventures with Dad. THANK YOU!"