One lady has told the Post she has been left devastated after her late husband’s headstone took over a year to be placed on his grave; and then for the original inscription to fade due to additional lettering.

Last February, June McKenzie lost her husband to cancer and Launceston Funeral care (inc. Maddaford Funeral Services) were the company she entrusted to oversee proceedings of the funeral, as well as her late husband’s burial.

However, she has said she had been left devastated by the manner of which the company has operated.

According to Mrs McKenzie, the complications have been non-stop since the unfortunate passing of her late husband, Max who was buried with his first wife, Kathleen at Lezant church.

After the funeral, Mrs McKenzie had requested a particular typeface for the headstone and it was understood that this would take some time.

Mrs McKenzie claimed that Co-op Funeralcare, which is part of the Co-operative group, requested for a cheque in the latter stages of 2018, and they cashed it in December. Despite this, Mrs McKenzie (aged 82) had to wait until Easter (April 17) this year for the headstone to be placed on the grave.

She described how difficult it has made her bereavement and the undue stress it has caused her.

She said: “It was signed off over a year ago. I understand that it takes some time for the ground to settle.

“I was living in Cheshire and am now back in Launceston. I don’t drive which has meant I wasn’t ever able to head out there to check on it.

“They never contacted me or let me know when the headstone would be being placed, I was left completely in the dark.”

As well as having to deal with the loss of her husband, Mrs Mckenzie has also been suffering with some health issues with her heart and was recommended to avoid stress if possible.

Once the headstone was put into place, the Post contacted them to see why it had taken so long. A spokesperson for Co-op Funeralcare said: “We’re sorry to Mrs McKenzie for the delays and have been in touch with her to apologise directly and understand how we might resolve this for her.”

According to the company, ‘due to the unusual method of inscription Mrs McKenzie requested, we took the decision to put extra checks in place to ensure we got this right for her, which accounted for some of the additional delay.’

Since then, members of Mrs McKenzie’s family have been to visit the grave and Mrs McKenzie described what they saw as ‘shocking’, considering the length of time it had taken to resolve the issue and what she referred to as, ‘the non-existent communication’ she had with the company.

Mrs McKenzie has been reserved about going down to check on the gravestone, despite being assured that it had been placed.

Unfortunately the gravestone appeared to have been sandblasted. Which meant some of the previous inscription had some of the lettering has fallen away, and faded — despite the Co-op Funeralcare putting extra checks in place to ensure they got it right for her.

She said: “People should be prepared and not to be informed about the proceedings is astonishing! It has really really upset me and I wish they would have the common decency to let me know what’s happening.

“For me to be left in the dark for so long has been awful — imagine if it was someone’s child! It really is terrible.” A spokesperson from Co-op Funeralcare said: “We’re sorry to Mrs McKenzie for the delays and complications that have occurred with her late husband’s headstone. We have been in touch with her to apologise directly and to ensure that this is now resolved.”

Apparently the lead inspection was covered with a protective seal, which when sandblasted left reside on the inspections, which has now been rectified and repainted.

As a means to make amends the Co-op Funeralcare will be refunding Mrs McKenzie for the cost of the headstone.