Choate Monument Company

Two India Black granite monuments we were honored to create recently. Mr. House's features his laser-etched portrait, while Mrs. Blackwell's is porcelain.

Why Some People Choose to Buy Their Headstone Ahead of Time

When most people think about planning for the future, they think of writing a will or making funeral arrangements. But one step that often gets overlooked is purchasing a headstone in advance. It might surprise you to know that this kind of pre-planning is more common than you’d think.

Buying your headstone ahead of time takes a big burden off your family. It means they won’t have to make quick decisions during a difficult time. Everything is already chosen—style, color, lettering, and personal touches—just the way you want it.

In many cases, people have already chosen and purchased their cemetery plots before they come to us. Once the plot is selected, we help design and create the headstone, then install it in the cemetery. (It’s not common for headstones to be stored for later—they’re typically placed as soon as they’re completed.)

The headstone will have all your information on it except for your final dates. When that time comes, we return to the cemetery with our engraving equipment and carefully add the final date to match the birthdate already on the stone. This final date engraving is not included in the original purchase price—it’s a smaller, separate charge that is paid at the time of need.

Pre-planning your headstone may feel unusual, but it’s a thoughtful gift to those you love. It ensures your wishes are honored and gives your family one less thing to worry about later.

Ready to talk or have questions? Call us at (979) 775-7907 or visit us at 1108 N. Texas Avenue, Bryan, TX 77803 (across from Bryan City Cemetery). We're here for you.

Never Done This Before? A Step-by-Step Guide to Choosing a Headstone

Choosing a headstone can feel overwhelming—especially if you’ve never done it before. At Choate Monument Company, we’ve helped families through this process since 1978. Here’s a simple guide to help you know what to expect.

Step 1: What to Know Before You Visit
Before you stop by, gather a few things:
• Your ideas for the headstone—name, dates, message, symbols
• The name of the cemetery and any rules they may have
• An idea of your budget

Don’t worry if you’re unsure. We’re here to help.

Step 2: What We’ll Help You Decide
When you visit, we’ll walk you through:
• A design that fits your style and honors your loved one
• Granite types and colors
• Wording that fits—short and simple, deeply meaningful, or a mix of both

We’ll help you choose what feels right.

Step 3: What Happens After You Order
• You’ll get full-color proofs to review and approve
• Most gray granite monuments take 4–6 months; other colors can take longer
• We’ll handle installation with the cemetery

We keep you informed every step of the way.

Why Families Choose Us
We’re a local, family-owned business that’s served Brazos County for over 47 years. Families trust us for caring service and quality work. We’ve also completed commercial projects for Texas A&M, Veterans Park, and the Bush Library.

Every person matters—and every memorial should reflect that.

Questions? Ready to get started?
Call us at (979) 775-7907, email [email protected], or visit us at 1108 N. Texas Ave, Bryan, TX, across from Bryan City Cemetery.

We made a friend at Wheat Cemetery in Millican during an installation – known affectionately as "the cemetery dog".

We engraved the Texas A&M Foundation's fountain wall this week. Gig'em!

Local business man remembered for his work on Bonfire Memorial and other monuments Rocky Choate of Choate Monument Company recently passed away.

It’s a bow of rain.

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

Getting ready to prep and engrave this beautifully carved India Mist angel memorial.

Something a little different – engraved this for a former NFL player, on his new patio grill. @ Bryan, Texas