The man who carves the stone is the man you talk to.
Cliff Jesso is a certified journeyman shape carver. He does his own stonework, on every memorial, and each one is made here in Bethel Park.
There is nothing you need to know before you call.
Most families have never done this before, and nobody expects you to arrive with answers. Bring the cemetery name if you have it. If you do not, that is fine too. We can start from anywhere, and there is no rush at this end.
Your loved one was unique. Their memorial can be too. That is the whole idea behind this shop, and it is why Cliff makes each one himself rather than ordering it in finished.
A juried artisan who does his own stonework.
Jesso Monuments is owned and operated by Cliff Jesso, a Fayette County native. He trained under Grand Master Sculptor Constantine Seferlis, and he specialises in custom headstones made to what the family actually asks for.
Cliff and his father Nicholas are both professional Certified Sandblast Shape Carver Journeymen, in Monumental and Architectural, for single and double shape carving. That is the qualification behind the carved roses, the angels and the relief work you can see on these stones.
Every one of these was cut and carved by hand.
Photographed where they stand. Uprights, slants, bevels, flush markers, bronze, and benches, in the granites we keep in stock.
A face, a house, a dog, a lighthouse.
Custom photo etching and carved designs go on almost anything we make: uprights, markers, urns, keepsake boxes. Portraits can be etched into black granite, or done in porcelain or ceramic.
Etchings come with a felted backing and an easel, so a family can keep one at home. Standard sizes are 12 by 12, 8 by 10, 5 by 7 and 6 by 6 inches, and other sizes are made on request. One can also serve as a temporary marker at the graveside while the monument is being made.
The heavier carving, the roses and angels and relief panels, is shape carving, which is the trade Cliff and his father are certified in.
Including several things people do not know to ask for.
Headstones
Granite or marble, and bronze. All styles, including mausoleums.
Monument styles
Upright monuments on a matching granite base. Slant markers. Bevel markers, slightly raised and sloped back to front. Flat markers, flush with the ground. Bronze markers, often required in memorial park cemeteries. And specialty monuments: irregular shapes, bas relief carving, or three dimensional carving.
Urns
Granite or marble, handcrafted on site, and personalised with a photo or design etching. Many colours of marble are available. For a cremation there is also the option of a headstone or a bench with an urn holder.
Lettering on a stone that is already there
Death dates or designs added to an existing memorial. This is a common job and you do not need to have bought the original stone from us.
Restoration
Cleaning, resetting, and correction of chipped stone. Cemeteries and caretakers: ask us about our restoration programme.
Portraits
Porcelain, ceramic, or etched granite.
Benches and vases
Memorial benches. Marble or granite vases, and bronze vases by special order.
Keepsakes and mantle pieces
Handmade marble, onyx or granite boxes with brass trim and handle. Portrait etching on these is available on black granite only. Mantle pieces, etched or carved, to keep at home rather than at the grave.
Pet memorials
Soapstone pet markers, granite urns, or a memory box that holds a favourite toy or collar.
Flags, holders and lights
An American flag lit at night by a solar light. Veteran flag holders for World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the Gulf War, and Patriot and Fire Fighter holders. Refillable soapstone vigil candles.
Family name and address markers
Carved stone for the house, not the cemetery.
It is hard to appreciate a stone from a photograph.
These are some of the colours kept here. Reds, pinks, dark and light grey, and black, with and without veining. Come and look at the sample board and the monuments in the shop, where you can see the grain properly.
Also in stock: Imperial Grey, Dark Grey, Georgia Grey, Cherry Blossom Pink, Absolute Black, Paradiso, Aurora, Indian Mahogany, Cats Eye, Tropical Green and Multicolor Red. If you cannot come during the day, call and we will set up an appointment after hours.
Four steps, and we do the difficult parts.
Call or email
Reach Cliff directly. Tell us the cemetery if you know it, since the section decides what size and type of monument is allowed there.
We design it together
Bring the spellings, the dates, and anything you would like on it. A photograph, an emblem, a scene, a line of scripture. Nothing is cut until you have seen and approved the design.
Cliff makes it
Cut, shape carved, lettered and etched here in Bethel Park. A certified journeyman does the stonework himself rather than sending it out.
It is set at the grave
We handle placement with the cemetery. Afterwards, we can come back to add a date, clean the stone, or reset it if it settles.
What families have written to Cliff.
“Thank you so very much for making things easy and kind, at a very sad time, of my life.”
Jeanie, January 2012“You did a beautiful job for our headstone. The lighthouse insert was the perfect touch for making it so special. Thank you for being so patient and helpful in making emotional decisions a little easier.”
Kitty O., August 2012“It was hard to do from here and you really made it easier. I will recommend you for sure.”
Bill & Kathy, July 2012Deciding this calmly, rather than in a bad week.
Choosing a memorial before it is needed lets you make the choice deliberately and unhurriedly, with your own ideas worked into the design, rather than under pressure.
It also spares your family from having to decide during a hard stretch. There are a lot of choices involved, and we can walk through the options with you at your own pace. Pre-planned memorials are discounted.
The things nobody tells you.
What should I bring, or find out first?
The cemetery name and the section of the gravesite, if you can get them. Not every cemetery allows the same thing, and the section usually decides the size and type of monument permitted.
Then the spellings and dates exactly as you want them cut. For a double monument, who goes on the left and who goes on the right. If you do not have all of it yet, call anyway and we will work through it.
What does it cost?
It depends on the size the cemetery permits, which granite you choose, and how much carving or etching is on it. There is no single answer, and we would rather give you a real figure than a vague one.
Tell Cliff roughly what you have in mind and you will get an honest price, with no obligation to go ahead.
How long will it take?
That depends on the stone, the amount of carving and etching involved, and the cemetery. Some granite has to be brought in. Ask when you call and you will be told plainly what to expect for the memorial you are considering.
Can you add a date to a stone that is already in the cemetery?
Yes. Death dates and designs can be added to an existing memorial, and you do not need to have bought the original stone from us. It is one of the most common things we are asked to do.
Our family stone is dirty, chipped, or leaning. Can it be fixed?
Usually. We clean, reset, and correct chipped stone. If a monument has settled or tipped, resetting is often all it needs.
If you look after a cemetery rather than a single grave, ask about our restoration programme.
We are choosing cremation. Is there anything for us?
Yes. Urns are handcrafted here in granite or marble, in many colours, and can be etched with a photograph or a design. There are also headstones and benches made with an urn holder, so there is still a place to visit.
Keepsake boxes and mantle pieces are made for families who would rather keep something at home.
Can I see the stone before I decide?
Please do. Photographs never do granite justice. There is a sample board and finished monuments at the Masontown showroom. If you cannot get there in normal hours, call and we will arrange a time that works, including evenings.
Do you make anything for a pet?
Yes. Soapstone pet markers, granite urns, and a memory box that will hold a favourite toy or collar. A portrait etching can go on it as well.
Serving Pittsburgh and the surrounding area.
Call or email for an appointment, including after hours if the working day does not suit you.
You will be speaking to the man who makes it.
There is no call centre here and no sales team. Cliff answers, and he can tell you what is possible, what the cemetery is likely to allow, and what it will cost, before you commit to anything.
Cliff Jesso
(412) 308-6425
or
(724) 583-2111
cj@jessomonuments.com
102 South Main Street, Masontown, PA 15461
Call or email to arrange a time. Appointments can be made after hours if that is easier.