KRGV.com

SAN JUAN - A San Juan woman is trying to say goodbye to her husband. He died more than a year ago. She's still waiting for the headstone to mark his grave.

Becky Garza led us to her husband's final resting place.

"It's been a year since he passed away," says Garza.

A simple wooden cross marks his grave at the San Juan City Cemetery.

"We want something better, just something small," says Garza.

He died Nov. 2, 2010.

"He was about 54. He was a little ill. He had high blood pressure, heart failure," says Garza.

The couple had only been married a few years.

"He was very humble. He was very involved in the church," says Garza.

Garza heard about a company called Al's Monuments III from a friend.

"I found a little card. I had asked people around and most people said OK," says Garza.

She showed us the paperwork she and the owner Al Torres signed more than a year ago.

"We signed the contract, but I didn't have what I wanted on the monument, the wording," says Garza.

It took her a few months to pay the balance of the $900 bill and come up with the wording for the marker.

"It had a little verse: ‘I have fought the good fight,'" says Garza.

They talked several times last spring and summer. Finally in October, she says, they agreed on a design.

"I approved it, so I don't see no reason for me being here. He could just come take the cross off and put the monument. That's no problem," says Garza.

Al's monuments III used to have an office in Weslaco. We couldn't find it, so we called the number on the contract. Turns out, the office is closed. We arranged an undercover meeting with the owner at the Weslaco City Cemetery.

Torres didn't know we were filming from behind the trees. We asked what's taking so long.

"I already told her everything is ready. All I want is the weather to cooperate. That monument, everything is ready," says Torres.

Torres blamed the monument maker for delays.

"Those monuments don't come from here. They come from China," says Torres. "What I'm trying to tell you is I'm not the boss up there. I can't call up there and say hurry up and send my monuments. I'm just a dealer like everybody else."

Torres also says he and Garza haven't been communicating. He admits she has paid in full. He didn't walk to camera, so Torres took off. Garza hopes they can come to an agreement.

"I've been trying to get something better for him," says Garza.

She's ready to move on and give her husband the dignity he deserves.