Taphophile Twins
We're not actually twins. We just liked the alliteration.
Leslie is renowned for having too many irons in the fire and wouldn't have it any other way. Her love for cemeteries developed through an interest in genealogy which fit right in with her career. Who else builds an enormous tree, not for demonstrating relationships, but as a data repository for querying purposes?
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She learned almost immediately that her maternal side's maiden name (Murphy) did not indicate the deep Irish roots they had believed (what else could they be as long-time Bostonians?) but led to Scotland, England, and Wales through Nova Scotia and Plymouth Colony. A few road trips later and she's visited as many of the familial resting places as she can find, one Roderick MacKinnon's outstanding, and has stopped at historic societies in every New England state and parts of Canada.
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Having traded in her green beer for single malt whisky, Leslie particularly loves learning about the lives of the people whose markers she cares for, including how they spent their time and if they frequented any local watering holes so she can research the recipes, cocktails, and brews of the area. Some of her most interesting finds have been related to Revolutionary War veterans and their families.
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Her favorite Taphophile Tale involves her son, and their visit to St. Michael's Cemetery in Boston. Their conversation went something like this:
Peter (then 5): Mama, I do not like cemeteries.
Leslie: They're not everyone's favorite. We're going to take pictures of one gravestone and then we can go, ok? What is it that bothers you about them?
Peter: There are too many people.
Leslie: Buddy, there's no one else here.
Peter: Mama, there are people everywhere.
Leslie: Where do you see another person?
Peter: You don't see them? Right there... there's one right behind you.
(I think I nearly had a coronary event at this point
and turned around very slowly...)
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There are statues of angels on many of the gravestones. Because Peter had only been to colonial cemeteries, he had never seen one with statues prior to this. St. Michael's is a Catholic cemetery and he thought the statues were people.
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When she's not in a cemetery, she can be found training for her first Ironman (70.3) or with Peter (8) and Amelia (4).
Leslie DiOrio, MA, MBA, CPC
Gravestone Restoration & Founder
Historic Research
Data Science Professional
Photo credit: Sandra Lennox - Find-a-Grave
Kristine Comperchio
Gravestone Restoration & Founder
Artistic Photography
Loves Cats
Krissy was born and raised in the Boston, MA area and first became acquainted with cemeteries before her first birthday. ​
As a self-proclaimed taphophile, she finds peace of mind in quiet cemeteries and often finds beauty in headstones and memorials. She and her sister began training in gravestone restoration as a hobby which branched off into multiple directions for each sister.
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Krissy is a firm believer in treating others with kindness and respecting our planet. Her other loves include rainy days, the number 13, New England sports teams, her Italian heritage, and continuous learning. Her cemetery and spooky photography can be found on Instagram @spookyfemme13.
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Krissy is a self-acclaimed "Spooky" and Halloween aficionado. It was only natural that she take on cemetery work as her vocation since they are her home away from home. Her areas of interest specifically focus on the metropolitan Boston area and south shore suburbs, as well as north shore towns with historic roots such as Salem and Danvers.
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Cemetery and graveyard photography taken and edited by Krissy has been prominently featured by notable media outlets. Her style involves black and white photos with shocking pops of color in select areas.
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Not to be shown up by her big sister, Krissy has traveled the world and toured the distilleries of multiple spirits...not the kind that wander cemeteries. She is a fan of bourbon, but the best whisky she claims was one she brought back from Germany almost a decade ago.
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If you take anything away from our page, please remember these things:
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Grief is not linear. There is no right or wrong way. It's also never okay to insist another person is doing it wrong.
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Mental health must be a top priority.
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Don't let your triathlete sister use "Lift Heavy Sh*t" as your slogan for a gravestone restoration business.
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Krissy is authoring her first book, which is a collection of photographs from some of Connecticut's beautiful historic cemeteries, graveyards, and burial grounds. In it, you will find pictures of headstones, memorials, and grave markers.