‘Mind-boggling’ reason family was ordered to remove brothers’ shared headstone years after their deaths
A Colorado family is in an uproar after a cemetery demanded the removal of a headstone shared by two brothers, which prominently displays a pair of middle fingers.
Ryan Geschke, 35, passed away unexpectedly on October 5, 2021 — coincidentally his older brother Timothy Geschke’s 43rd birthday. Timothy had died a year earlier, just days after the first COVID-19 lockdown began, according to his obituary. Their surviving sisters, Heidi and Holly Geschke, wanted to honor the bond between their brothers by giving them a joint memorial. The resulting headstone reflects the siblings’ playful personalities, often adorned with their favorite drinks.
One side of the stone is designed to resemble a tree trunk topped with a small statue of a squirrel nibbling on an acorn. Photos of Timothy, Ryan, and other family members are displayed above the family name, with two middle fingers extending outward as a final cheeky touch.
When the family visited the grave this winter, they were shocked to find the hand gestures obscured with black tape, according to KOAA.
Cemetery manager Cheryl Godbout said the images on the headstone are “inappropriate” and violate cemetery rules. When asked how many complaints prompted the move, Godbout declined to provide a figure.
The sisters were unconvinced.
“This represents love and the Geschke family spirit,” Holly told KOAA.
“To be told after all these years that we have to redo this… nobody wants to go through that,” she added. The family removed the black tape and stated they have no plans to alter the headstone to satisfy the cemetery, the outlet reported.
“They’re resting in peace, and now we’re being asked to disturb that. It’s unbelievable,” Holly said.
If the cemetery refuses to back down, Holly told The Independent that she and her sister are prepared to relocate Timothy and Ryan’s remains.
“These are my brothers, and I’m not giving up,” she said. “Whether we win or lose, we’re making our voices heard for them.”
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