A Calling Carved in Stone: The Story Behind The Tombstone Jack™

I was born in 1964, raised by parents who believed in love, grit, creativity, and craftsmanship. My father, a brilliant inventor and entrepreneur, built a manufacturing legacy—millions of parts used in industries around the world, including outer space. His work shaped my life, my hands, and my thinking. I grew up inside that world of innovation, and became part of our family business that produced satellite dishes, high-end microwave antennas still found on military bases, news stations, homes, and many other installations today, as well as a host of other products, including trailer hitches (see www.andersenhitches.com), spiral pipe manufacturing (8”– 24” diameter - many miles), Elco fireplaces, an invention that transformed heating for your entire home, and so much more.  

In 2006, something shifted in me. My wife’s father passed away from a rare cancer disease called amyloidosis. 20 minutes before he passed away we were having our final talk, and it was a peaceful, sacred, and a truly beautiful visit. 

Change

I began having feelings about change, a change in geography, a new place of residence for our family…  now as I write this in May of 2025, I testify that these feelings came from God; my wife and I started quietly designing and sensing there was more to explore. In 2010, we sold our home, passed my stake in the family business to my brother, and moved to the Midwest—Gallatin, Missouri—ready to see what the next chapter might be. We sure made a lot of tremendous friends in that beautiful little community. We raised our three younger children out of our six and sent them on their ways. That little community was a place where we contributed a lot, and it also molded me and our family in many ways.

We weren’t sure what would come next. But my mother opened up a possible new adventure. She wanted her grandparents’ leaning monument repaired—nothing fancy, just a humble, respectful fix. She asked my father to level their monument. True to form, he got to work and built the earliest version of what would become the Tombstone Jack! Four jacks. Two clamps. A simple, powerful idea.

See the first video here [of my father]:

https://youtu.be/u3t5YBzEWqo

When he showed me the equipment that he had engineered and built, I saw something of tremendous value. My parents have taken me to cemeteries throughout my life. They were places of solace and peace where we could reflect and feel the love of loved ones gone. I already had a perspective of the great need for this equipment. I suggested adding lift feet to expand the load capacity. We refined the clamping system, using industrial-grade rubber grips and screws that, with proper maintenance, deliver up to 10,000 pounds of clamping force. Safe. Smart. Precise. It was pure engineering with purpose.

Then came a phone call.

A local funeral director showed interest, and within days, Donna Hibbs called and asked me to look at their cemetery. I walked the grounds with Donna, her friend, and her friend's son. As we discussed the leaning and sunken stones, I shared a quote:

“Show me your cemetery, and I’ll tell you the character of your community.” — Benjamin Franklin

That line struck a chord. The community cared deeply about this place. They asked me to level 33 monuments. We agreed on $100 per Tombstone.

Above: Michael Andersen standing next to one of the original; 33 monuments at the Civil Bend Cemetery near Bethany, Missouri.

Two and a half days later, they handed me a check for $3,300.

At that moment, I knew: this wasn’t just a side project. This was a mission. Today I find tremendous satisfaction as I talk with past customers and new customers about their love and feelings for working in cemeteries to improve them “one precious grave at a time“ to be a safer and more beautiful place for all to visit.

And so, Tombstone Jack was born.

Since 2011, we’ve grown from that first model to the advanced TJ 4200, capable of lifting small tablets and tombstones to large monuments up to 12,000 pounds. Our system is portable, clean, and requires no heavy machinery. Even though this is serious industrial equipment, one person can carry the whole kit in a car trunk and do the work with confidence, safety, and pride.

We’ve helped communities from coast to coast, USA and Canada. Our customers have paid off their investment with as few as 10 monuments— many in just a weekend of highly satisfying work! One gravel truck can supply materials for up to 700 resets. The math makes sense. The work is satisfying. The results are beautiful.

This isn’t just about tools or tombstones. It’s about legacy. It’s about restoring dignity to sacred spaces. It’s about work that really matters.

We believe in mentoring every customer. If you join us, we’ll support you. We’ll train you. We’ll help you succeed.

If you have imagination and determination, like I learned from my parents —you can do this, and when you want to see the character of a person—or a community—look no further than the care they show to their cemeteries.

Let’s make this word “Character” a bigger part of our culture and together let’s improve and become better—by one precious grave and one tombstone at a time!