Family history?

One of the goals of the association is to promote "the family history to be learned from a study of [..] tombstones". But what family history can be learned from graves like these?

---

Papa

---

Vader (Father)

---

Jezus zeide: "Wie in Mij gelooft zal leven ook al is hij gestorven. Joh. 11:25B" (Jesus said: "He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. John 11:25B")

---

Moeder (Mother)

---

Until the 1980s, texts on stones were often dictated by customs, traditions, fashion, religious background. Since the 1990s there is a trend to make markers more personal. More personal often means less informative, though. Many markers now only have a first name. Vader (Father) and Moeder (Mother) are also popular. I have not seen a stone with a bible quote but no names and dates before.

Photos: Cemetery Oud-Zuilen, taken on 25 October 2008 by the author.