Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A family pleaded their case to the Howell City Council on Monday night in hopes of getting a memorial headstone at a City cemetery approved before a loved one passes away.

Megan Rebman has been appealing a decision by city staff to deny the installation of a headstone for her parents, Jacqueline and Louis Haas.

Rebman is requesting a variance for an engineered concrete monument, saying the “material that meets and exceeds the structural requirements of the city while honoring a long-standing commitment made to my family” – noting the memorial has been over two years in the making.

The memorial is for her mother who previously passed, and her father.

Rebman and family members shared their story during the meeting, including Louis Haas who is very elderly and under hospice care, and was in a wheelchair with his caregiver and family friend present. He asked that Council reconsider, saying the ordeal “has been very emotional and it breaks my heart”. The family asked the matter be expedited, as Louis “doesn’t have much time”.

A portion of a letter to Council from Louis Haas states the following:

I am writing this letter with the assistance of my family because my strength is failing, but my resolve to honor my wife is not. My name is Louis Haas. I moved to Howell in 2010 to be near my daughter, Megan, and her husband, David. I have called this city my home until the sudden and unexpected loss of my wife of over 40 years, Jacqueline, on March 27, 2023…I am in my final days, and I am writing to you because the only thing I have left to do in this life is to ensure that my wife is properly honored with the memorial we were promised. This headstone, made of engineered concrete stronger than granite, is the same material used for the 9/11 Memorial. It was built to last, just as my love for my wife has lasted. I do not have the time to engage in a long bureaucratic struggle. I am a husband who simply wants to know that his wife’s resting place is marked and dignified before I join her. I am asking the Council to show compassion and honor the verbal agreement made to my family so that I may finally have peace. Please allow the installation of our headstone. It is my final wish.”

Council members were sympathetic to the matter, but expressed they also need to make sure to follow process and address any legalities so as to not be precedent-setting.

Mayor Nikolas Hertrich told WHMI current rules for headstone materials specifically state headstones can only be made out of durable granite or brass and there really isn’t a lot of wiggle room for other materials.

Hertrich said family is going through a situation where they have a headstone that’s been built but it’s made of high-performance, not standard concrete. Per current rules, that material would not be allowed. Hertrich noted City staff followed the processes and rules in place and thus, filed a denial.

The next step in the process was to bring the matter before Council for an appeal, which is what the family did Monday night. He said they provided a lot of information and thinks the overall feeling from Council is that they are interested in updating the rules – what does that look like, what kind of materials can be used, the process, and what standards should be set.

Hertrich acknowledged that unfortunately, it can be a time-consuming process but they want to make sure they are following the process in place.

Hertrich commented he is very interested in updating the materials – noting “every day science is coming up with something different” and there are other materials out there so staff will be looking into the matter. It was stated at the meeting the 9/11 Memorial in Pennsylvania is made out of the same materials.

Hertrich added “we have sympathy for the family and what they’re going through but unfortunately there is a process and we need to work through that”.

More information is available in the meeting packet. That link is provided.