Gentry-Smith Funeral Home

05/27/2026

The wait can be the worst part if you're anxious to see your monument in person. Some wholesalers/quarries are able to ship products faster depending on the material and what they already have in stock. Generally, the wait from the wholesaler/quarry is the longest part of the process. From there, it falls into how many monuments are in progress. Once your monument is ready for delivery/installation, then the wait is at the mercy of the weather.

05/25/2026

05/20/2026

When figuring up the cost of a monument, there are three key areas:

1) Monument Material - Typically, bronze is more expensive than granite. In Tennessee, gray granite tends to be less expensive than other colors.

2) Add-Ons - Vases, porcelain pictures, and custom design work (custom emblems, laser etching, lengthy text, etc.) may not be included in the monument cost.

3) Delivery/Installation - Generally, if the delivery/installation is within a certain range, the cost is a flat fee, but this can vary from seller to seller.

On top of these, there is sales tax to consider, and some sellers may charge design fees or for other services.

05/15/2026

Michael Aaron Craig

Michael Aaron Craig, 58, of Readyville, Tennessee passed away on May 10, 2026. He was born in Tacoma Washington on April 24, 1968. He is survived by his mother, Marilyn Anderson Craig, his father Lloyd Craig, both of Readyville, several aunts, numerous cousins, many other friends, and his fur buddy cat, Fuzzy. Michael was born in Tacoma, but a lot of his life was spent on the road traveling to different cities and states with his parents as part of...

View Michael Aaron Craig's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

05/15/2026

There are endless possibilities on design work, so really what matters is knowing special features you'd like incorporated. Do you want to keep it plain and simple? Traditional? Did your loved one enjoy hunting or fishing? Have antique cars? Bird watch? Garden? Or maybe there is a nickname or catch phrase you'd like put on there? These are all important factors to consider when making the monument your own.

We utilize design software to let you visualize your monument on paper before you make any big decisions.

05/15/2026

When the warmer weather rolls around, monuments tend to come to the forefront of people's minds. If you aren't quite sure what you want, there are different style categories you should consider.

1) Material: Do you want a monument made from bronze, granite, marble, or another material? Does the cemetery you're intending to have it installed in allow for that material to be used? (Note: Some cemeteries have different sections, and each section has separate material restrictions)

2) Color: Regardless of material, there are generally color options outside of the "standard" ones. Do you want something more custom, or do you want to keep it traditional for your area?

3) Shape: Monuments can come in a variety of shapes. There are flat, bevel, serpentine, square, slant, built-in, all-together, obelisk, bench, and the list goes on.

4) Size: This is an area cemeteries generally have a restriction based on the size of the grave plots, especially when it comes to width. Do you have a single grave plot? Double? More than that? It's also important to note how much you're wanting on the monument in terms of decedent names and design work.

5) Vases: Does the cemetery allow for vases? Just a specific kind? Do you want a vase or prefer it left off?

If you're not sure about your cemetery's regulations, you can always discuss them with the cemetery or a local funeral provider. Most that sell monuments will already have an idea or contact information to know what the regulations are. Knowing what you want (or don't want) in these categories can help narrow down the field and get you to the answers you're really looking to have answered.

05/01/2026

Thomas "Dale" McCrary

Mr. Thomas "Dale" McCrary, 92, of Smithville passed away on April 30, 2026. He was born at home in the Murray community near Bradyville, Tennessee. His parents were the late Cleveland McCrary and Nannie Denton McCrary. He was also preceded in death by a daughter, Pamela Gail McCrary, and two brothers, Denton McCrary and Charles McCrary. He is survived by his sons, Tommy (Cherri) McCrary and Tim McCrary both of Readyville, a daughter, Terri (Neal) Barrett of Rossville, also surviving...

View Thomas "Dale" McCrary's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.