EAST LONGMEADOW — It took a year, but Carl “Howie” Howard completed a project to honor the veterans buried in Brookside Cemetery by cleaning their headstones.
Howard has been cleaning headstones for about three years. He began by cleaning stones at the graves of family members. While many stones can be cleaned with a cloth and water, he said, “Once the lichen gets to it and the black mold, it’s a serious issue.”
Not wanting to damage the headstones, Howard researched how to clean headstones properly. After cleaning a few stones, people began asking him to clean their loved ones’ grave markers. Soon, he began passing out business cards with the name Tombstone Detailing. Howard insists, however, that it is “just a hobby.”
“I love working outdoors,” Howard said. “I love sharing this with my grandchildren. There’s always a story in a cemetery. There’s always a cool saying on a stone.”
Last May, Howard, who is retired from the aerospace industry, decided to tackle a project. In honor of Memorial Day, he decided to clean the headstones of the 10 veterans at Brookside Cemetery.
Howard said he never cleans a headstone unless he has permission. Getting permission to tackle Brookside Cemetery was difficult. Howard visited different town offices, from the Cemetery Commission to the Veterans Service Officer. No one seemed to have authority over the headstones. After doing his due diligence, Howard figured there was no one to ask for permission, so he got to work.
Howard gladly shares his method of cleaning headstones and his secret weapon — patience. He sprays the stones with Wet & Forget, an outdoor moss, mold and mildew remover that is approved for use by the National Parks Service and the military. He then walks away for a couple of weeks. Over two months, he returns and repeats the application a few times. Finally, he uses nylon brushes to scrub away the years of dirt and mildew that have made the stone unreadable. When he is done, the headstone has been transformed and looks as it did when first engraved.
“I want to bring their identity back,” Howard said, adding that each stone marks a person’s life. He said the reward for his hard work and patience is the “happy tears” of people when they see their relative’s grave renewed and given dignity.
