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| An empty crypt in the basement of the Tower of Memories. |
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| Tower exterior, 7777 W. 29th Ave., Lakewood, CO. This seven-story mausoleum was built between 1926 and 1948; it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. |
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| "There is no heat or facilities," said the man at the entry booth. We grew up near it; it was brightly lit at night and could be seen for miles. We oriented ourselves by it. |
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| The entryway -- early views of the 180 acres that comprise Crown Hill Cemetery. |
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| The early design for the Tower was Gothic, but delays resulted in it being completed in Modernist style. |
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| The cavernous halls, 20 feet high, are ice-cold. Some niches are glass-fronted, and cover floor to ceiling. The urns of the dead are accompanied by photos and keepsakes. |
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| A striking stained-glass window with Masonic adornments. The Bible verse quoted at bottom, "And the glory of the Lord filled the house" (Chron. II, 7:1) refers to the dedication of the First Temple. |
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| Angels in the basement. |
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| A very unique cat stained-glass window. At lower left, "I am the way, (the) truth, and the life" (John 14:6) |
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| There is evidence of relatives' visits -- cards, artificial flowers, balloons, little totems. I recognized the name of auto dealer Doug Spedding ("There's a nice surprise for you/At Spedding Chevrolet/Off the Boulder Turnpike/On the Valley Highway!") A tiny auto adorned his plaque. |
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| I met an older man and his son, who were also visiting. "How about that Bronco game?" the old man asked immediately, without introduction, and we went on for a couple of minutes about the victory the day before. The siblinghood of old Bronco fans appears to transcend even the proprieties of the death house. |
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| An empty, sample crypt in the basement. |
