Spilsbury Mortuary is pleased to have an Angel of Hope monument located on its south lawn. "The Christmas Box," a best-selling book by Utah author, Richard Paul Evans, inspired this and other sculptures of its kind. In Mr. Evans' story, a woman in Salt Lake City mourns the death of her daughter by making regular trips to the child's grave. The grave is marked with the sculpture of an angel.

This sculpture evokes a profound and miraculous connection between parent and child and helps to convey valuable lessons concerning the meaning of life. This story has brought hope to thousands of parents who have suffered the loss of a child.
Although "The Christmas Box" is mostly fiction, an actual angel monument once existed in the Salt Lake City Cemetery but was thought to have been destroyed by flooding.

In response to reports that grieving parents were actually seeking out the statue described in his book, Mr. Evans commissioned an angel sculpture to stand in the Salt Lake City Cemetery in 1994.

Since its completion, people from all over the country have come to visit the sculpture to seek solace for loss and hope for the future. Many people have commissioned an Angel of Hope for their own communities. Numerous monuments have since been erected throughout the United States and are found in cemeteries, parks, hospitals, mortuaries, and on private property. The word "hope" is found on the angel's right wing. This monument is a memorial to all children who are gone from our sight. May those who have experienced the loss of a child find peace and solace here. The public is welcome to visit this monument at any time. A community vigil is held each year on December 6 at 7:00 p.m. and offers a chance for grieving families to unite and find strength and comfort in each other. A candlelight ceremony is held and those interested may place a white flower at the base of the statue in memory of a loved one.Although the monument is located on mortuary property, it is a community project. Two granite walls stand directly behind the monument, one featuring names of deceased children and the other recognizing charitable donors. Contributions may be made to this project in several ways:

General donations of any size are appreciated and contribute to the success of this community project.

A $100 donation entitles you to a porcelain miniature Angel of Hope sculpture.

A $250 donation entitles you to have the name of a deceased child inscribed on the Memorial Wall. Many are providing this inscription in lieu of flowers for funeral services or as a gift to family or friends.

A $300 donation entitles you to be a "Golden Donor". Your name will be inscribed on the Contributor's Wall.
Checks may be made payable to the Christmas Box Angel and donations may be mailed to 423 Vermillion Ave., St. George, UT, 84790. Please include your name, address, and telephone number. If applicable, please also include the name of the deceased child to be inscribed on the Memorial Wall (applicable only with a $250 donation), or the name(s) to be inscribed on the Contributor's Wall (applicable only with a $300 donation). If you require additional information, please contact Diane Jennings at 673-2167, Carol Kemple at 628-3441, or a representative from Spilsbury Mortuary at 673-2454.