We lost someone recently
There is no hurry from us. Come in when you are ready, tell us who they were, and we will take care of the rest of it — the cemetery, the paperwork, the timing.
Start when you're readyDes Moines · Montezuma · Chariton · Iowa City
A memorial by our family for yours.
Three generations of monument builders. We design, letter and set every stone ourselves in Iowa.
Watts Monuments · Since 1957
1957
Family owned since
In-house
Design, carving & setting
3 showrooms
Across Iowa
Facebook rating from Iowa families
First Steps
We'll walk beside you wherever you're at in your journey.
We are planning ahead
Choosing your own stone is a kindness to the people who come after you. We will draw it, price it in writing, and hold the design on file for as long as you need.
See how planning worksThere is already a stone
We add dates in the cemetery, and we clean, reset and repair leaning or sunken monuments — including stones that were never ours to begin with.
Ask about repair & datesMemorials
Monuments in every shape and unique design created with care.
Custom Upright
Shapes drawn for one family and cut only once.
A thoughtful design where faith and family quietly come together.
Traditional Upright
The classic die and base, in any granite we quarry from.
Personal touches tell the quiet story of a lifetime shared together.
Slant & Base
A lower profile that still carries full lettering.
A classic slant and base memorial keeps a cherished memory close.
Bevel Markers
A gentle rise above the lawn, easy to mow around.
Simple and enduring, a bevel marker keeps a quiet presence on the lawn.
Flat Markers
Flush granite or bronze where the cemetery requires it.
Personal touches etched into stone keep a loved one's story close to heart.
Memorial Benches
A place to sit a while, lettered on the seat or the legs.
A quiet place to sit, reflect, and keep treasured memories close.
Veterans Memorials
Service emblems, branch seals and government marker help.
Honoring faithful service with quiet dignity, crafted to endure.
Cremation Memorials
Niche fronts, pedestals and companion stones with urn space.
A quiet, lasting resting place crafted to hold memories close.
See full gallery →
Browse every custom and traditional memorial up close.
Testimonials
Caring is our business
John sat with us for two hours and never once mentioned price until we asked. The stone he drew was exactly the man my father was.Peggy L.Glendale Cemetery, Des Moines
Our process
From the first conversation to the final setting, we’re with you.
- Step 01
Start with a conversation
Meet with us in person, by phone, or by email to share who you are remembering, what you envision, and what feels comfortable for your budget.
In person · by phone · by email
- Step 02
See your design take shape
Our designers prepare a custom rendering with the memorial’s proportions, lettering, artwork, and engraving details.
A custom rendering
- Step 03
Make it feel just right
Review the design together and request any changes you need. There is no pressure and no rush to approve it.
Revisions at no charge
- Step 04
Crafted here with care
Once approved, skilled craftspeople carve, letter, and finish the memorial in our Des Moines shop using premium granite.
Crafted after your approval
- Step 05
Placed and ready for your family
Our crew coordinates with the cemetery, handles permits and foundation work, and carefully delivers and sets the memorial.
We handle the coordination
Drag to see the drawing become granite.
Drag the handle across each stone — the designer's rendering on one side, the set memorial on the other.
ConceptFinished
Anderson · Jet Black companion upright, hand-etched barn scene
ConceptFinished
Breitbach · Mahogany slant with carved rosary and shared base
ConceptFinished
Van Zee · Bahama Blue bench, laser-etched portrait panel
Materials
Granite Colors
Choose from a wide range of memorial headstone granite colors from around the world.
Feel the quality in person.
Photographs help, but granite is something you feel. Visit any of our four Iowa showrooms to run your hand across the stone, see the lettering up close, and sit with us for as long as you need.
The things families ask us first.
Memorials range from $1,000 to $8,000 depending on size, granite color and lettering. Fully custom shapes, benches, and etched panels will be an additional cost. We give you a written estimate before anything is cut.
Time to create a monument can vary depending material, size, and time of year. Winter can add time, because Iowa frost keeps us from pouring foundations between late December and early spring. After we discuss your needs, we'll create a draft for your approval and provide you with an expected timeline.
No. Most families arrive with a name and a feeling. We ask about the person — their work, their faith, what they did on Saturdays — and bring back a drawing to react to.
We do. Every Iowa cemetery has its own rules about size, base thickness and what may be planted or set. We hold those rules on file and file the paperwork on your behalf.
Yes. We letter added dates directly in the cemetery, and we also clean, reset and repair leaning or sunken monuments — including stones we did not originally build.
Every Watts memorial carries a lifetime warranty against defects in material and workmanship. If the granite ever fails, we replace it. That has been the promise since 1957.
Request a design
Share your needs and wishes. We'll create designs that honor those memories.
Start here with a few details and we'll walk you through the rest at your own pace.
515.261.0825Monday – Friday, 8am – 4:30pm · Evenings & weekends by appointment
Funeral director or cemetery? Watts also manufactures Trigard and Doric burial vaults, urn vaults and steel vaults, with 24-hour graveside service across Iowa.
Trade & vaults