Symbolism, The Column
Think of a column as representing the strength of life, as it points towards the heavens and is usually (next to the image of a weeping woman) one of the most prominent symbols in a memorial / sentimental scene.
A strong, proud object, seemingly timeless (eternity) and then you have a broken variation. That leads one to think that the life has been cut short early. And there you have it. Involved with this is also grief, decay and the concept of this strong central figure being broken can represent the loss of the patriarch / matriarch of the family.