Helen Tribby lost her son in a house fire six years ago.

She lost her daughter last month to an aggressive cancer.

Now, both of her children--as well as a grandchild who lived just six hours--will always be with her.

The Partlow woman was the first customer for Grotto Inc., a Stafford County company recently formed to offer a new option for the growing cremation industry.

Grotto provides a way to memorialize loved ones by using some or all of their ashes in making stone statues, planters or other items for the home and garden. The process also can be done with pets.

Grotto is operated by four men: Larry Mervine, whose background is in construction and includes ceramic tile work; Kurt Zimmerman, a stay-at-home dad with an arts background and experience in concrete countertops; and two British transplants--Steve Kelly, a clockmaker who runs two Fredericksburg antiques shops, and his father, Barry Kelly, who spent a career with Price Waterhouse.

In December, the men registered for a patent for their process, which combines cremated remains with a mixture of white cement, river stone and light sand.

Sam Found of Found and Sons Funeral Chapels-Cremation Service was the first to get on board with Grotto's concept.

"The exciting thing for someone who has been in the funeral business for 20 years is it gives [customers] choices," he said.

Helen Tribby had no choice about whether to cremate in July 2001 when her 37-year-old son, Thomas Tribby, died in the fire that destroyed her house.

But when her daughter, Lesa Tribby Barbrey, was ill, she made her preference known. Barbrey died March 24 at age 38.

She didn't know anything about Grotto before her death, but when her mother, her daughter, Jackie Tribby, and her friend Jolene Doman visited Found and Sons last month, they learned about the option of creating a lasting and portable memorial.
"I thought that would be great," Helen Tribby said. "We could have her home with us like always."

With Grotto's process, Tribby was able to create a memorial that included ashes from her son, her daughter and her infant granddaughter, Samantha Lee Tribby.

Family and friends gathered March 29 to take part in creating a planter--the item the family chose from among dozens of Grotto offerings. They added the remains to the mixture and then saw it all poured into a mold.

It takes three to four weeks to produce each item. Statues generally cost $400 to $1,600.

When Steve Kelly visited to explain Grotto's concept, Shannon Sturms of Mullins and Thompson Funeral Home wanted to be sure the items would stand up to the rigors of outdoor placement. After learning the steps the company takes to finish and seal its creations, she decided to offer them to her clients.

"It's going to reach some people that traditional cremation services may not," said Sturms, general manager for Mullins and Thompson homes in Fredericksburg, Stafford and Spot- sylvania.

Michael Turch, general manager for two Mountcastle funeral homes in eastern Prince William County and Cunningham in Alexandria, thought the Stafford entrepreneurs had a winning plan.

"So far, everybody I've told about the idea has just had a great response--thought it was a great idea," he said.

Sam Found liked the fact that the company offers a variety of items so families can pick something meaningful to them. The creations range from decorative to functional and include angels, animals , planters , fountains and benches.

"It's quite personal and it's something that will enable them to keep their loved ones' remains for a lifetime," he said.

In addition to having a constant reminder of her loved ones, Helen Tribby liked knowing she could take them with her if she ever decided to move.

"This way, if you have to leave, you don't have to worry about leaving them behind in a cemetery," she said. "So many people get left behind.

By PAMELA GOULD
Fredricksburg Free Lance Star, Date published: 4/15/2007