Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Leigh.
Hi Heather, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My career in the cemetery industry began as a child. My mom was into genealogy, and we traveled to various cemeteries to collect family data. It was my responsibility to create rubbings of the headstones. We were in cemeteries so often; I joke that is how I learned my ABCs and numbers.
After graduating with an associate degree, I began a career at The Washington Cemetery, a non-profit, historical cemetery in my hometown of Washington, PA. During my time at the Washington Cemetery, I was drawn to help people through their journey of grief and difficult end-of-life decisions that I began taking classes about grief loss and recovery.
I moved to Elgin, SC in the mid-’90s and decided to return to school and earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree. While in school, I met the owners of Greenhaven Memorial Gardens and knew instantly that I was where I belonged. A few years later, I was promoted to general manager and developed several programs to help our families and community.
The first major change was adding the Life Tribute Center to the cemetery. The Life Tribute Center provides grief counseling, officiating services, personalized memorial designs, death doula services, and end-of-life education. Greenhaven is more than a locally owned, perpetual care cemetery. We provide families with hope, peace, and comfort during the most challenging time of their life.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The end-of-life industry has many challenges, educating individuals and the community about their options and choices, helping individuals overcome the myths of dying, and encouraging healthy discussions about death and dying before well before death.
When I can help a family make good decisions for themselves, they are able to save money and decrease anxiety when a death occurs. Unfortunately, those discussions occur too late, legal documentation was never completed, or difficult decisions were made under pressure or time constraints. Planning a funeral is a major financial decision, selecting products and services without understanding the value or services they would receive can be difficult to overcome after the funeral.
We’ve been impressed with Greenhaven Memorial Gardens, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Established in 1992, Greenhaven Memorial Gardens & Life Tribute Center is a perpetual care cemetery located in Richland County, Elgin, South Carolina. We are centrally located to Blythewood, Columbia, Elgin, Lugoff, and Camden, SC. Currently, we maintain five manicured acres with three gardens for traditional and cremation burial, private mausoleum estates, cremation estates, benches, green/natural burial options, and columbaria.
Greenhaven has a state-of-the-art irrigation system and 30 acres reserved for future generations. We added a 60′ flagpole at the entrance for our nationally recognized Heroes Burial Flag & Memorial program, built a wee free library for visitors and guests use, developed a natural/green burial area, developed a pet cemetery, and incorporate fruit-bearing shrubs and trees throughout the property. We proudly support our community and work with numerous volunteers who provide inspiration, perspiration, and dedication to the continued improvement of the cemetery.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Networking is critical and necessary for any business to grow. Because I value connecting with the community, individuals, and mentors, I developed a non-profit organization, BETR – business, education, training, & relationships that helps entrepreneurs develop personally and professionally. Most individuals decide to go into a profession because of their passion. Unfortunately, operating a business takes more than passion. Investing in personal growth and professional development is critical to grow and expand a business.
Contact Info:
- Email: heather@greenhavenmemorialgardens.com
- Website: https://greenhavenmemorialgardens.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenhavenMemorialGardens
