I’m trying to find an old photo and ran across this. How could I have forgotten? Ages ago, I booked a job in Salt Lake City. While there, I visited Ms. Lilly E. Gray. Apparently, she got involved with a scoundrel who ordered that marker for her. Her family kept him away from her during her last days and he’s buried in the same cemetery but far away.

Protection: Garlic has a long history in folklore as a protective plant against evil, bad spirits, or misfortune. Placing it at a grave could symbolize protecting the deceased or keeping negative forces away from their resting place.

Purification: Garlic is associated with cleansing and warding off decay or corruption. It could be a symbolic offering for purity and peace in the afterlife.
Offering of Food: In some traditions, leaving food at a grave is a way of honoring and feeding the dead. Garlic might be left as a humble but meaningful gift.
Folk Beliefs about Vampires/Restless Dead: In Eastern European folklore, garlic was sometimes used at graves to prevent the dead from rising or turning into vampires.
Personal or Ancestral Tradition: Sometimes people choose items that had meaning to the deceased in life—garlic might have been a favorite food, a symbol of heritage, or tied to family customs.