Assumption Catholic Cemetery mausoleum is located in Wheaton, Illinois, under the auspices of The Diocese of Joliet. The mausoleum/chapel building was built in 1980, and forty-three years of use had taken a toll on the physical building. The flooring, roof, ceiling, and lighting were all in need of an upgrade. To breathe new life into the building, we decided to upgrade it with the addition of full-sized crypts and niches. Our goals were:

• Finance the project from the sales of the crypts and niches.
• Add crypts and niches in a building that was completely sold to create an inventory that would allow our families the ability to carry on their burial heritage within the same building as past loved ones.

We solicited the services of our long-time friend and architect, Ken Giere. We have worked with Ken for decades; his knowledge of structure and cemetery applications was the linchpin to a successful project.

Assumption Catholic Cemetery mausoleum - Before the restoration

Through my nearly five decades as a cemeterian, new innovations and changes were not overwhelming. Giant leaps in the technology field have been "amazing" to say the least, and have led to so many gained efficiencies. But, there was a physical change to an element of cemetery construction that was yet to be seen. The problem with so many of the retrofit revisions to add full-size crypts to an existing structure was the weight of the concrete on the load on an existing floor or foundation, along with the logistics of mixing concrete for the crypts or even getting concrete to a site. Many projects once reviewed were not very financially prudent.

A year ago, we were contacted by Andrew Krawczyk, an old contact from Global Bronze. Andrew was kind enough to meet with us and explain the new E-Z Mausoleum crypts that they supply. The mausoleum had a considerable-sized chapel that we were able to modify using the light E-Z Mausoleum crypts supplied by Global Bronze Inc. We also added glass-fronted niches and marble􀁏fronted niches. However, when it comes to renovating and adding crypts, the load capacity of the central floor concrete pad is a crucial factor. While the concrete crypts have a substantial foundation to support their weight, the central flooring of the chapel has only an 8" concrete pad, which is not sufficient for the traditional concrete crypt load. Additionally, constructing crypts in a narrow area can be challenging and may disrupt the usual operations.

We were able to avoid many issues by using lightweight, aesthetically pleasing crypts. These crypts come in light, plastic/fiberglass components and are assembled on-site with all the necessary ventilation systems while being hermetic on their own. We empowered The Construction Resource Group, Mr. Bill Systma, to perform this magic transition for us, along with help from Natural Stone, Mr. R. Paul Piwowarczyk. The speed of construction for these crypts was impressive, as the entire structure was put up in just a week. The mechanical precision. and design allow all the marble pieces to fit quickly into their places. The front crypts are automatically distributed with innovative supports with nests into their places, leaving small, perfect seams.in both directions. This eliminates the need to adjust the crypt shutters, which is a huge improvement from other hanging systems.

The finish inside the crypts is light, elegant, and smooth, allowing the caskets to slide on the rails inside the trays easily. This pristine appearance is just another reassurance to our families of the quality of the crypt. We were able to install a block of S wide and 7 high single crypts. In addition, we installed three glass-fronted niche units and one 48-double marble front niche unit. Those niches are crowned with beautiful Trumpeting Angel statues and Our Lady of Immaculate Conception back-to-back relief in the center.

For the crypts and marble niches, we used the E-Z Plaques together with flower vases and external Memorial Lights to enhance the presentation for our families. We utilize the inside illumination in all our glass-fronted niches.

The families were initially skeptical about our plans but were very pleased and enthusiastic about the newly refurbished mausoleum with its reconfigured ceiling, attractive flooring, and new vestibule. The demand for the crypts and niches has been strong, and the mausoleum has been a great success. We're currently in the planning stages of creating another mausoleum that will include both crypts and glass-fronted niches.

We want to thank Andrew Krawczyk and the folks at Global Bronze, Ken Giere, Architect, Bill Systma of Construction Resource Group, and Paul Piwowarczyk of Natural Stone for making this project a complete success.