“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord” is a quote from the book of Revelations 14:13. It is an extremely popular epitaph in cemeteries. Most of the interpretations of the passage I have read focus on how the quote turns on its head what many people think about death – death is sad for those who love us and sometimes the result of suffering and pain for us, but here is a scripture talking about blessings at the time of death. The idea seems to be that those who have lived their life in faith and service to God will, when they die, be rewarded. The next passage, not quoted on this tombstone, says that the blessed dead will rest from their labors.
A Grave Concern 