'Tax on the death': OK cemetery says granite tariff costs could hurt grieving families

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The director of an Oklahoma City cemetery says she's been struggling to avoid passing off tariff costs to her customers, brought on by higher prices for granite.

The director of Riverside Gardens Cemetery, Safiyyah Tahir, told News 4 Wednesday the issue pertains to the limited amount of granite colors that can be bought in the United States.

"So you have, like a grey that you can find here," said Tahir. "You have a pink and you have like a mahogany. They do have black here, but it'll have specks in it."

Tahir said most other granite for headstones comes from outside of the United States in countries like India, China, Africa or even Canada. She said some orders she's placed prior to new federally approved tariff rates have been unexpectedly higher in countries impacted by those new rates. She said she signs contracts with her customers, meaning she won't go back on her word and charge them more after the fact.

"This is like a tax on the death, and a lot of people die," said Tahir. "So, I just don't know if people recognize what that actually looks like and how much that costs you."

Tahir said she's lost between $4,700-$5,000 in 2025 due to additional tariff costs and has been in constant communications with vendors about delays and price changes. Email correspondence she shared with News 4 suggests some of her vendors are having just as much of a hard time juggling the fluctuations.

"I had a headstone custom ordered that we ordered in January," said Tahir. "It was about $1,700. By the time I got the stone to be delivered to me, two or three weeks ago, it was $1,990, and I could not call the family and say I need you to pay this."

Tahir said she's reached out to Oklahoma's congressional delegation, even including News 4 in some emails, begging for help.

"They may have to keep the tariffs in place, but taxing someone that is burying someone, that is already probably strapped for cash, is not a good idea," said Tahir.

News 4 also spoke with Gaydos Monument Company manager Michael Gaydos Thursday about the tariffs. His family-owned company is based out of Pennsylvania, and he says he's heard from businesses and had personal experiences dealing with cost fluctuations.

"Those businesses that say, it's just not, it's not a tenable thing," said Gaydos. "So you have to cancel. You have to cancel the order."

News 4 asked Gaydos if he sees a light at the end of the tunnel for resolving issues brought about by tariffs on granite and among other industries.

"There's no silver bullet for any of this," said Gaydos. You just want to try to make sure you're educating your clients the best you can."