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Locals drive by to point her out to their friends, out-of-towners pile out of rented minivans to get a closer look, and even a tour bus or two has been known to roll by, pausing momentarily so its passengers can snap a quick photo through the windows. Now, unless you have a serious electrical short between your left and right hemispheres, you should be able to figure out just what the deceased did for a living. Like a wiener-shaped hot-dog stand, a mausoleum in the form of a piano pretty much spells it out for you: Madge Ward tickled the ivories. |
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The price tag has been kept a secret, but custom monuments like Ward's typically cost tens of thousands of dollars. According to the piano's designer, Ward said she had been saving for it for 35 years. Sadly, the pianist never got the chance to see it in person, since the monument wasn't set in place until just after her death. Ward only saw her resting place in sketches and in photographs; the actual cutting was being performed out of state. But it's just as well, since she didn't have to hear the subsequent whining from some of the locals. After the piano was erected, it struck a sour note with a number of Tyler residents, who called officials to complain. Apparently, not everyone appreciated Ward's individuality. It's a good thing she didn't play the tuba. |