Spring/summer 2014 Elberton Granite Remains a Beacon 125 years ago, the forefathers of many of the same families who are still operating in Elberton today recognized the value and quality of the granite resource in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Through innovation, determination and attention to detail, the Elber-ton granite industry flourished and grew, meeting the needs of an economy in search of quality granite products. For 125 years, Elberton has been in the forefront of the granite industry, employing the same innovative and determined spirit to meet the needs of our customers in a new global market. Today, Elberton Georgia is still leading the way in the quarrying and production of gran-ite and granite products. We have a rich history of offering the highest quality material and products, along with 125 years of experience in craftsmanship of stone work. It is industry, such as Elberton’s granite industry, that helped to build this country and to make it great. However, in the present economic environment, we have seen many industries that were once the backbone of this great nation fading away. Yet, the Elberton granite indus-try is still holding strong, providing the same innovation and leadership as it did 125 years ago. And like a beacon, the Elberton granite manufacturers and quarriers are a shining example of the great spirit of opportunity that still exists in America today. It is often said, “The old ways are the best ways.” Change is a hard pill to swallow sometimes, and often has to be forced down. The stone industry as a whole is no exception to change, and although the concept of quarrying and production is relatively the same as it was 125 years ago, the process and operations have had to change over the years. Be it from safety regulation, economic or global competition, the Elberton granite industry has swallowed the change and is continuing to persevere in its effort to deliver the finest quality granite to its cus-tomers. The Elberton Granite Association has, since its inception in 1951, partnered with the granite manufacturers and quarriers in Elberton, Georgia in an effort to provide service and support to the industry. The foundation for the association was laid through the efforts and dedication of people committed to building the granite industry in Elberton, and to move it into the future. I now have the great opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the Executive Vice Presi-dents who have come before me and to continue their efforts of moving the Elberton Granite District towards the future. I look forward to the challenges that lay before us as an industry, and my part in helping to guide us through them. And when those challenges present prob-lems, the EGA and its member-firms will stand as a beacon saying, “When others don’t know what to do, we can do it.” The EGA is proud to announce our 2014 Training Institute has been set! We will host the popu-lar Monument Retailers Basic Course on October 27-30, 2014. Check page 10 for more information, or visit www.egaonline.com to download the application! John Eric Higginbotham Specialty Stone Services, Inc. Mr. John Eric Higginbotham, 54, of Middleton Church Road, Elberton, husband of Lisa Anderson Higginbotham, passed away on Sunday, February 23, 2014, in Mount Airy, North Car-olina as a result of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. Mr. Higginbotham was born on May 29, 1959, in Texas to Faye Dixon McCannon and the late Milford Howard Higginbotham. He was the owner and operator of Specialty Stone Services. Left to cherish his memories are his wife, Lisa Anderson Higginbotham of the home; sons and daughter-in-law, Eddy Higginbotham and Adam and Amber Higginbotham; grandchil-dren, Ashton, Alex, and Alijah Higginbotham; and his mother, Faye Dixon McCannon. In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by a brother, Eddy Higginbotham. Funeral services celebrated his life on Saturday, March 1, at the Elberton Church of God with Reverend Sharon Coley officiating. The family has requested in lieu of flowers to please make memorials in his honor to TJ & Friends Foundation, Inc. P.O. Box 6161 Elberton, Georgia 30635. James Anthony Adams ll Gold Eagle Quarries, Inc. Mr. James Anthony Adams, II, 41, of Elberton, passed away Monday, March 24, 2014 at his home. Anthony was born in Elberton, Ga. on May 20, 1972. He was a graduate of Elbert County Comprehensive High School and Anderson College. He was the owner operator of Gold Eagle Quarries and a longtime member of the Elberton Granite Association. He was an avid fisherman and loved both fresh water and deep sea fishing. His other passion was aviation and he was licensed to fly airplanes and helicopters. He is survived by his father James Anthony “Tony” Adams, Sr. and his partner Melanie Adkins of Carrabelle, Florida; his mother Gloria Ray Adams of Elberton; sisters Natalie Byers of Simpsonville, SC, Laura Bietzel and her husband Mark of Simpsonville, SC; special girlfriend Da-na Holcomb and her daughter Abbey Crook. He also is survived by several nieces and nephews and his faithful companion Kitty Campbell. A memorial service celebrating his life was held on Saturday, March 29, 2014, in The Chapel of Hicks Funeral Home with the Reverend Gary Purvis officiating. Those wishing to make memorial donations may do so to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Elberton, Georgia. Bobby Lewellyn Adams Adams Granite Quarry Mr. Bobby Lewellyn Adams, 57, of Hartwell Highway, Elberton, husband of 15 years to Sandra Evans Helms Adams, passed away on Friday, May 2, 2014, at Athens Regional Medical Center. Mr. Adams was born in Franklin County on June 28, 1956, to Genelle Davis Adams and the late William L. Adams. He was a member of Dewy Rose Baptist Church and former opera-tor of American Blue Granite Quarry and Adams Granite Quarry. In addition to his wife and mother, both of Elberton, he is survived by his children: Tyler Adams of Elberton, Christy and David Hendrix of Elberton, Kerry and Joe Byrum of Elberton, Cheryl Pozzuoli of Johns Creek, Chris and Amy Helms of Elberton, Kevin and Cathy Helms of Bainbridge, and Christina Adams of Athens; eleven grandchildren; one great-grandson; siblings: Wayne and Kathy Adams of Elberton, Judy and Al Hudson of Haddock, and Jan Burdette of El-berton; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services celebrating his life were held on Monday, May 5, at 11:00 A.M. in the Dewy Rose Baptist Church with the Revs. Kenny Martin and Jay Akin officiating. Carolyn Jane Miller Elberton Granite Association Board Member Carolyn Jane Miller, resident of Hartwell Highway in Elberton, Georgia died on Sunday, June 1, 2014. She was 80. Born in Elberton on December 1, 1933, Carolyn was one of three children of the late Raymond Wilson Miller, Sr. and Corra Jane Tate Miller. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Elberton, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Co-lonial Dames Society. She was also a former member of the Pilot Club of Elberton and a former Elberton Granite Association Board Member. Carolyn graduated from Lander College with a Bachelor’s of Business Degree in Education and from the University of Georgia with a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. She served as Principal at Stevens Elementary School and as a teacher and Head Girls Basketball Coach at both Elberton High School and Samuel Elbert Academy. Carolyn was a Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration Hall of Fame Member. She owned and showed Tennessee Walking Horses for over 50 years and won numerous world champions. Carolyn is survived by her sister-in-law, Carmelita Miller; two nieces: Elizabeth Jane Miller and Carrie Kate Miller; great-niece, Alex Oglesby; one aunt; and a host of other relatives and friends. The Funeral Service to Honor and Celebrate the life of Carolyn Jane Miller was be held on Tuesday, June 3, at 11:00 A.M. in the Memorial Chapel of Berry Funeral Home with the Rev. Gary Purvis officiating. Majestic Granite Co., Hires Creative Employee Katie Estep started at Majestic Granite Co., LLC two years ago in the Customer Service depart-ment as well as order processing. In the past year Katie has moved into the Sales Department while working with customers in the Drafting & Stencil Design aspect of the granite industry. With sales, Katie continues to enjoy working with the customer, making sure that their orders are completed correctly and on time, all while showing her creative side in Drafting & Stencil Design. Katie will soon be taking classes at Athens Tech to further her education. Katie enjoys the Granite Industry and is delighted each day to work with her grandparents Robert and Bar-bara Worley, the owners of Majestic Granite Co., LLC. We at the EGA look forward to seeing Katie’s progress. New Hire At Old South Granite Co., With the economy the way it is, it’s good to see our members hire new personnel. When one of our members hires during the slow season, that just means the economy is doing a little better each month! Such is the case with Old South Granite Company, who recently hired a very knowledgeable veteran. Kelley Smith has been with Old South Granite Co., for the last three months and comes with over 26 years experience while also being the third generation of Smith’s to be a part of the Elberton, Georgia granite industry. Kelley says the “family atmosphere and the way every-one works together to finish a project” is what she loves about working at Old South Granite Co. Kelley’s granite knowledge and superb customer service have helped Old South Granite Co., increase their incremental sales in the short amount of time she’s been a part of the team. We wish you all the best Kelley! The EGA Hires Marketing Director/Editor Mike Gordon comes to the EGA with over 20 years of sales and mar-keting experience in the residential/industrial/commercial construction industry. Starting as an Independent Manufacturers Representative taught him the importance of relationship building, Value Based Selling VS. Price Based Selling, as well as gaining listening skills that allowed him to create sales programs based upon a customers needs. Selling practices such as these led to awards including “Territory Sales Achievement” for four consecutive years. Achieving his goals would lead Mike to become a Divisional Sales Manager in the Southeast, and then a Regional Sales Manager covering half of the United States and Caribbean Islands. Its these last two posts where Mike learned marketing skills as well as creating Product Launch Literature and New Product Training courses and presentations. Mike’s main function at the EGA will be to write articles for the Graniteer Magazine and update marketing materials. Mike has already met several of the EGA members and looks forward to working with them while writing for the Graniteer Magazine. Mike has enjoyed the ease with which he has been welcomed within the EGA and accepted by EGA members. Be sure to stop by the EGA booth and say “hello” to the newest member of the granite communi-ty. EGA Members Create New Granite Industry Products Design Mart, LLC recently launched a new web site for Reece Monuments in New Tazewell, Tennessee. Design Mart included special features in the site including a historical page about the company, pages showing how monuments are crafted and installed, galleries displaying all of Reece’ inventory according to monument size and type. The site also features a personalized version of Design Mart’s Online Catalog & Monument Designer. For more information on web sites, hosting, online services, monument brochures, catalogs, precut stencil, CAD applications, stencil cutters, CAD files and custom CAD work, please contact Design Mart at d-mart@designmart.com, visit www.designmart.com, or call 800-736-7455. Creative-Premier Designs Creates Clip-Art Catalog Creative-Premier Designs, Inc., has been hard at work to bring you even more Clip Art that you can use to add to your own unique memorials. Recently added are cycles, two collec-tions of panels, and two collections of borders. The cycles include everything from Harleys and Hondas to bicycles and even a tandem bike. The panels range from simple to elaborate includ-ing scrolls, ribbons and books. The two border packages have traditional designs such as an Egg and Dart as well as floral designs, Greek Keys, Celtic Knots, and even a butterfly border and one with sea shells. In addition to being available in digital files, either as a package or as individu-al files, the designs can be produced on stencil, ready for application to your stone. All of these designs can be viewed under Clip Art on their website: www.creative-premier.com. For more information or to receive a free catalog, call 800-542-4295 or email designs@creative-premier.com. Have you ever wondered how a company goes through the process of expansion, or how a company decides to make a “life changing” purchase for itself? Every company will choose a direction at that mythical fork in the road, and that choice could lead it in very different directions - it’s just a matter of how to do it, when to do it and then fi-nally, pulling the trigger. Recently, the owners of Keystone Memorials, Inc. had those discus-sions, and they pulled the trigger in a big way! While speaking with a customer last year, George Oglesby of Keystone Memorials re-ceived a picture depicting what a family wanted as their memorial. In the background were several pieces that were virtually identical to one another. George had seen enough “hand” carvings to know that a sculptor couldn’t duplicate a piece that exact, no matter how skilled he might be, so George contemplated how such work could be done, and how Keystone Memori-als could do the same. After learning that a 5-axsis CNC machine created many of these “generic” statues, George starting brainstorming the feasibility of such a machine with his brother, Ross Oglesby. They quickly realized the vast potential this technology could have on the varying production phases of their business. With possibilities racing through their minds, and questions in hand, Keystone Memorials contacted the Italian company Breton to get the specifics of their various 5-axis machines. With numbers in hand, George and Ross brought their dad, Keystone President Tom Oglesby, into the loop. They all went through the pros and cons while also discussing the reali-ties and timing of such a purchase. If they were not all on board with the idea, this might have been thrown out, or tabled for a later date. Everyone had to be fully committed from the be-ginning to make this endeavor succeed. To further the case, and to see what the machine was capable of accomplishing, George Oglesby, and Keystone’s machinist and maintenance super-visor Barry Fleming, traveled to New York to visit two of Breton’s CNC customers to “kick the tires” of similar machines and more importantly, get the opinions of other Breton customers. In June of 2013, several things happened all at once! Keystone Memorials placed their order for a Breton Shapemill 1600, which started a race against the clock to have everything ready for the installation. Keystone realized that expanding the existing plant would not be possible due to the massive size of the machine they had just ordered so, a separate, taller building had to go up, along with a new overhead crane that would clear the height of the new machine. There were also water filtration requirements that were more stringent than what was needed for their other equipment. All of which was done in time for the December instal-lation. The Shapemill 1600 Keystone purchased is a complete CNC work center that is designed to perform multiple tasks automatically. Its 13’ X 11’ 6” worktable is fixed, but has the flexibil-ity to work on standing projects up to 63 inches tall. The machine will also utilize its robotic arm to move in five different directions, use a full arsenal of tools for sawing, contouring, pol-ishing, milling, sculpting, or even create several memorials at once. With the given size and capabilities of the Shapemill, Keystone Memorials can also create a single piece roof for a walk-in mausoleum. And that’s not all; the automation allows it to complete one step in the production, change its own tools, and then move to the next step seamlessly. This means Key-stone Memorials can set-up the machine to complete an entire order in the machine’s bay, ra-ther than moving the stone to several different machines and operators for completion. And with a lathe large enough for turning columns, vases and statues, Keystone can produce prod-uct in days and/or weeks, rather than several months. Breton’s Shapemill 1600 is an incredibly large machine with a giant robotic arm you would normally picture inside an auto manufacturing plant in Detroit. It is Breton’s largest stone machine, and is their very first unit installed in North America. It is also only the fourth such unit of this size to be installed in the world! Breton also operates a technical service facili-ty in Florida that can access the machine remotely online. This allows the technician to fix problems quickly, which greatly reduces downtime. They can be here in a day if they do have to travel. Ross Oglesby of Keystone Memorials, pointed out that if an issue does arise, all he has to do is make a call, describe the issue and watch the technician resolve the issue on his screen here at Keystone. Both George and Ross Oglesby are extremely pleased with the Shapemill, and as George states, “This machine will make us rethink how we approach building a monument – at least the more complex designs that involve a lot of hand labor and multiple setups. We are still in the very early stages of this process, and the learning curve is very steep. We are pro-gressing each day however, managing the machine’s time is not black and white. Just because this machine CAN do all sorts of jobs, that doesn’t mean it SHOULD do everything.” Ross add-ed, “We also have a 3D scanner that allows us to reproduce any figure. We want to combine the latest technology with our skilled people to turn out the absolute best product with the quickest possible turnarounds. Our sculptures are still finished by hand so that they remain per-sonalized, and they don’t look like something off an assembly line.” The Breton Shapemill 1600 is quite the advancement in the granite memorial industry, to say the least. Obviously, the EGA is excited to see what Keystone Memorials will create with their new machine. Perhaps the original proponent of the machine, George Oglesby, said it best, “Although the af-fordability of the unit and infrastructure were the biggest question marks, the need for the unit at some point was never in doubt. We finally decided that the automation, precision, and being the first in Elberton, were worth the risk to do it now. We wanted to be the first company peo-ple think of for projects that previously had to be made overseas. We now have the ability to create whatever unique designs our customers ask for, and that’s a very good feeling.” As the 21st century continues to expose an ever-increasing amount of technological advances, the EGA is excited to welcome Glass Art Imaging, LLC to its membership. George Arnold, the in-ventor and patent holder of GLASS Art®, has partnered with Tim, Dan and Sam Bronleewe to establish Glass Art Imaging® (GAI®) here in Elberton, Georgia. The process of Glass Art®, and its derivative Bronzstone®, have been around since 2004, and by uniting physics, chemistry and geology, GAI® has been able to create stunning artwork on any type, or color, of granite with incredible color longevity, vividness and clarity that conventional etching methods are unable to achieve. According to Mr. Arnold, the process used “tattoos” elemental pigments into the granite through a process in which the stone is melted and the colors are impregnated into the granite itself, not just applied to the surface. Next, the colorants go through a chemical vitrification process, creating a glassy barrier on the granite that prevents moisture from penetrating through the artwork. Because of this process, the only known way to vandalize the image is to damage the stone itself, and the glassy bar-rier creates a more resistant piece of artwork to spray paint “tagging” than the granite alone. The colors are extremely vivid, and the images are clean and detailed. Traditional coloring methods used in the granite industry inevitably fade within five years, and porcelain photos are vulnerable to breakage. GLASS Art® is the only system that has passed independent testing as well as real world conditions. GLASS Art® has been independently tested by Atlas Testing Labs using accel-erated aging methods, demonstrating amazing longevity in color retention as well as overall weathering of the artwork. GLASS Art® projects have also been placed throughout the United States and Canada for almost 10 years and have passed the test of time with flying colors. The process of “tattooing” art into the granite offers full color and detailed images that will last generations while the clarity of the details will remain photographic. When asked about sizes that can be produced by GAI®, there really is no limitation. Putting several pieces together like a puzzle, and all without any noticeable seams has created larger pieces, successfully. Although the Glass Art® process can be applied to any color of granite, the preferred granite is from Elberton, Georgia. Mr. Arnold explains, “The unique coloring of the granite quarried in Elberton, and the small tight grain textures that are a distinctive part of the Elber-ton Granite, produces exceptional results. The process was originally engineered specifically for Elberton granite”. Prior to GLASS Art® becoming available, imported black granite was the only material suitable for etched images. As prices continue to rise for the imported black granite, GLASS Art® offers the unique benefits of using domestic stone, reducing the price of granite while offering more options to the customer. Granite offers the perfect canvass to cre-ate spectacular memorials, signs or other architectural applications but, it should be noted that the GLASS Art® application process can be used for interior designs in granite counter tops, backslashes, and other forms of self expression where detail is desired. Bronzstone®, a product derived from the GLASS Art® process, has the same appearance of bronze markers without having the same threat of theft, and offers the advantages of personalization while being priced at 30% less than conventional bronze markers. The Bronzstone® product demonstrates the same remarkable longevity and vivid coloration, but unlike regular bronze markers, Bronz-stone® will not oxidize, fade or patina with age. Although the process is new and different, it is hard to ignore the amazing beauty cre-ated by Glass Art Imaging®. GAI® offers more opportunities to serve your customers, increase sales and margins, and expand into new markets. Stop by their shop to see samples and, be sure to look for their booth at the next convention! We at the EGA are excited to watch GAI® grow over the next few years. 2013 EGA Scholarship Winners! Mary Claire Wallace Elbert County Comprehensive High School Mary Claire Wallace, an ECCHS Honors with Distinction graduate, will be attending the Univer-sity of Georgia in the fall to major in Nursing. Mary Claire is the daughter of Mark and Leslie Wallace. Mark Wallace is employed by Wallace Granite Sales. Kayla Magnus Oglethorpe County High School Kayla Magnus, an Academic Honors gradute of Oglethorpe County High School, will be attend-ing the University of Georgia to study Mathematics this fall with the goal of being a teacher. Maribeth Oglesby Hernandez Elbert County Comprehensive High School Another Honors graduate of ECCHS, Maribeth will be attending the University of North Georgia in the fall to major in Biology in the hopes of building a career in the medical field. Marybeth is the daughter of Jesse and Laura Hernandez. Laura is employed with Keystone Memorials, Inc. Each year, EGA gives three scholarships to local graduating seniors to help further their educations. Two scholarships are given to seniors from Elbert County Comprehensive High School, and one is given to a senior at Oglethorpe County High School. EGA is excited to help these students and wish them the best of luck on a successful college career! Downtown Display Keystone, Mize, Apex, Baston, Old South, Century-Harmany, King’s Marble Institute of America EGA/MIA Work Together On Education Tour In June of 2013 the Elberton Granite Association met with the Marble Institute of Amer-ica to discuss industry initiatives within the stone industry as a whole. It was at that time that Matthew Pruitt, Executive Assistant of the EGA, began talks with Jim Hieb, Executive Vice Pres-ident of the Marble Institute of America, about a “Partnership Program” that would introduce MIA Members to the processes and benefits of Elberton, Georgia granite through facility tours. In March of 2014, the Marble Institute of America tour bus rolled into Elberton for the first day of a two day event covering various stone facilities in Georgia. MIA attendees included stone professionals from fifteen states encompassing almost every facet of the industry from quarrier to restoration professionals. This was truly a ‘stone classroom’ that educated while creating new business connections. Highlighting different quarrying processes was the priority to the tour schedule. Eyes were opened wide during the first stop showing Keystone Quarry’s deep pit quarrying tech-niques through the use of cranes, while Blue Sky Quarry provided a look at a ‘drive-in’ type of quarry that utilizes the wire saw as the primary method of extracting the granite from the Earth. Group conversations shifted between the efficiencies of wire saw vs. blade saw tech-niques to water and power consumption expenses and the differences that limestone and marble producers experience, as opposed to the granite producers. This was a truly extraordi-nary classroom experience. Keystone Memorial took the group through their extensive production facility emphasiz-ing the combination of new technology with time-tested stone carving. While Star Granite & Bronze showcased the use of technology combined with the ‘human touch’ to produce a final product through the use of molten bronze. Although the two day event was labeled as a “quarry tour”, it was quite evident through the intense networking and general stone discussions that both Jim Hieb and Matthew Pruitt were surprised that such a tour had not occurred prior to 2014. It is extremely exciting to see two organizations get together and learn from each other for the betterment of the stone in-dustry as a whole! Some EGA members are thinking of attending a tour held by MIA in 2015. Small Town... BIG Memorial Sitting on the first corner you come to when you pull into town is the memorial you see on the cover, and to the left. Thinking I had missed the rest of the town, I actually drove around to see where the town square might be located. Nope, this was it! A couple of crossroads, a traffic light, and arrows pointing to the highway that would take you to Augusta, Georgia. The size of the memorial looks like something that should be located in a city three times the size of the one I was invited to view this past Memorial Day. Blythe, Georgia is a small town near Augusta consisting of a total population of 791 cit-izens. It’s quiet there, not a whole bunch of hustle and bustle which may explain why a heavy percentage of their population are veterans or military retirees. Blythe is just a peaceful town. One of the veterans who enjoys the peace and quiet of Blythe is a man who loves the town and the people who live there with him, former Mayor, Tom Cobb. Mr. Cobb didn’t like the fact that every Memorial Day and Veterans Day, the citizens of Blythe, Georgia had to go elsewhere to participate in any veteran activities. He wanted to do something to let all their veterans know how much they were appreciated for everything they had done for this country. Mr. Cobb start-ed slow with a cookout and a short program for all the veterans and their families that he called Veteran’s Appreciation Day. As the Mayor, Mr. Cobb took the opportunity to speak with other mayors and communi-ty leaders about the idea of a memorial for Blythe. In many cases he was invited to visit cities and towns to view their memorials, and to get an idea of what sort of memorial to build. He was also able to gather information to better understand everything that would be involved in making the City of Blythe Veteran’s Memorial a reality. Once he completed his ‘homework’, Mr. Cobb drew up a proposal and presented it to the Blythe City Council. Once the proposal was heard, Mrs. Barbara Larsen jumped at the chance to spearhead the committee and volunteered to chair the committee. Mrs. Larsen was also the first to make the initial contact with Jim Boyd of Boyd Granite Company, Inc., and invite him to attend a city council meeting and discuss the proposed memorial. In some cases, larger projects have been known to get people into heated discussions that result in projects being tabled with no forward progress. The city council of Blythe, Geor-gia was no exception. There were discussions, debates and arguments about numerous designs for the memorial, as well as its location within Blythe. Various designs had been seen on the web, and in cities visited by committee members. With dedicated committee members stick-ing together, all the pieces of the puzzle were put together culminating into the design you see on these pages. As it has always been in real estate, it’s all about “location, location, location”! The Veteran’s Memorial Committee wanted a location that would offer the greatest visibility to the largest number of people that lived, or passed through their town. Boy, did they get a great lo-cation! The location needed minimal site preparation, and the memorial can be seen from four different directions. Because the land would be used for such a special purpose, benefitting all the citizens of Blythe, the owner sold the property at an incredibly reasonable price. Mr. Cobb, and the Veteran’s Memorial Park Committee, wanted a memorial that would represent each branch of the military and honor those who served, both past and present. The memorial is comprised of five upright tablets with emblems representing the five branches of set on a sub-base and base. The three flagpoles with bases are located behind the tablets with four benches accenting the front of the memorial. An identifying marker was also placed on site commemorating, “To All Who Served”. In regards to working with Jim Boyd of Boyd Granite Company, Inc., Mr. Cobb stated, “It has been a labor of love to work with Mr. Boyd and his staff”. Mr. Boyd utilized his 40 plus years in the stone industry to make certain the committee understood all the various facets of building their memorial. He described to the committee how the emblem’s should be placed and which type of lettering would best be seen from a distance. He also worked with the committee on the best location for the meditation benches. Mr. Boyd then invited committee members to visit his facility to explain the entire process from start to finish. From cutting the stone to the final assembly, the committee was very impressed to see all that went into creat-ing their memorial. The committee’s expectations were exceeded, and the city of Blythe, Georgia will continue to do business with Boyd Granite Company, Inc., on future endeavors. The reviews for the Veteran’s Memorial Park has been overwhelmingly favorable and has already seen visitors from ten different states. Future plans for the area surrounding the memorial are to create a park for visitors that include a few more meditation benches and a walking path. As funding allows, a library, playground and pavilion will also be added. It was a pleasure and an honor to be invited to attend their memorial dedication on Memorial Day 2014! I have no doubt that if this small community of dedicated patriot’s works as hard as they did to fund this memorial, the rest of their plans will come to fruition. Robert “Bob” Pollard, American Legion 11 District Commander, Tom Cobb, Blythe Veteran’s Memorial Park Committee Chairman, Troy Harwell, Blythe City Council Mayor Pro-Tem & Commander American Legion Post 150 (Blythe), Lee Whitlock, Sr. Vice Commander American Legion Post 150 (Blythe), Donald Berninger, Finance Officer American Legion Post 150 (Blythe) Sitting on the first corner you come to when you pull into town is the memorial you see on the cover, and to the left. Thinking I had missed the rest of the town, I actually drove around to see where the town square might be located. Nope, this was it! A couple of crossroads, a traffic light, and arrows pointing to the highway that would take you to Augusta, Georgia. The size of the memorial looks like something that should be located in a city three times the size of the one I was invited to view this past Memorial Day. Blythe, Georgia is a small town near Augusta consisting of a total population of 791 cit-izens. It’s quiet there, not a whole bunch of hustle and bustle which may explain why a heavy percentage of their population are veterans or military retirees. Blythe is just a peaceful town. One of the veterans who enjoys the peace and quiet of Blythe is a man who loves the town and the people who live there with him, former Mayor, Tom Cobb. Mr. Cobb didn’t like the fact that every Memorial Day and Veterans Day, the citizens of Blythe, Georgia had to go elsewhere to participate in any veteran activities. He wanted to do something to let all their veterans know how much they were appreciated for everything they had done for this country. Mr. Cobb start-ed slow with a cookout and a short program for all the veterans and their families that he called Veteran’s Appreciation Day. As the Mayor, Mr. Cobb took the opportunity to speak with other mayors and communi-ty leaders about the idea of a memorial for Blythe. In many cases he was invited to visit cities and towns to view their memorials, and to get an idea of what sort of memorial to build. He was also able to gather information to better understand everything that would be involved in making the City of Blythe Veteran’s Memorial a reality. Once he completed his ‘homework’, Mr. Cobb drew up a proposal and presented it to the Blythe City Council. Once the proposal was heard, Mrs. Barbara Larsen jumped at the chance to spearhead the committee and volunteered to chair the committee. Mrs. Larsen was also the first to make the initial contact with Jim Boyd of Boyd Granite Company, Inc., and invite him to attend a city council meeting and discuss the proposed memorial. In some cases, larger projects have been known to get people into heated discussions that result in projects being tabled with no forward progress. The city council of Blythe, Geor-gia was no exception. There were discussions, debates and arguments about numerous designs for the memorial, as well as its location within Blythe. Various designs had been seen on the web, and in cities visited by committee members. With dedicated committee members stick-ing together, all the pieces of the puzzle were put together culminating into the design you see on these pages. As it has always been in real estate, it’s all about “location, location, location”! The Veteran’s Memorial Committee wanted a location that would offer the greatest visibility to the largest number of people that lived, or passed through their town. Boy, did they get a great lo-cation! The location needed minimal site preparation, and the memorial can be seen from four different directions. Because the land would be used for such a special purpose, benefitting all the citizens of Blythe, the owner sold the property at an incredibly reasonable price. Mr. Cobb, and the Veteran’s Memorial Park Committee, wanted a memorial that would represent each branch of the military and honor those who served, both past and present. The memorial is comprised of five upright tablets with emblems representing the five branches of set on a sub-base and base. The three flagpoles with bases are located behind the tablets with four benches accenting the front of the memorial. An identifying marker was also placed on site commemorating, “To All Who Served”. In regards to working with Jim Boyd of Boyd Granite Company, Inc., Mr. Cobb stated, “It has been a labor of love to work with Mr. Boyd and his staff”. Mr. Boyd utilized his 40 plus years in the stone industry to make certain the committee understood all the various facets of building their memorial. He described to the committee how the emblem’s should be placed and which type of lettering would best be seen from a distance. He also worked with the committee on the best location for the meditation benches. Mr. Boyd then invited committee members to visit his facility to explain the entire process from start to finish. From cutting the stone to the final assembly, the committee was very impressed to see all that went into creat-ing their memorial. The committee’s expectations were exceeded, and the city of Blythe, Georgia will continue to do business with Boyd Granite Company, Inc., on future endeavors. The reviews for the Veteran’s Memorial Park has been overwhelmingly favorable and has already seen visitors from ten different states. Future plans for the area surrounding the memorial are to create a park for visitors that include a few more meditation benches and a walking path. As funding allows, a library, playground and pavilion will also be added. It was a pleasure and an honor to be invited to attend their memorial dedication on Memorial Day 2014! I have no doubt that if this small community of dedicated patriot’s works as hard as they did to fund this memorial, the rest of their plans will come to fruition. Burton Monument Co., Inc. Local talent utilized to create a beautifully detailed Christ Memorial In the past, airbrushing had been relegated to painting intricate designs on cars and motorcy-cles however, Burton Monument Co., Inc., recently worked with local Elberton, Georgia artist Jeremy Carey to produce this stunning, life sized depiction of Jesus Christ. The memorial shows the amazing detail that can be achieved through the airbrush process, which includes not only the individual hairs seen on the beard and eyelashes of Christ but also, the stone that Christ is stepping onto and, leaning upon. Burton Monument Co., Inc. chose to work with Jeremy due to his innate ability to produce a very detailed piece of art work as well as give the artwork a sense of depth, which shows the folds and creases of His robes. The piece has a base that is 11-0 x 2-0 x 1-0, with a tablet that measures, 4-0 x 0-8 x 7-0, and wings that are 2-7 x 0-8 x 5-0. This is an outstanding example of what can be created when designers are thinking outside the box! Southern Granite Co., Inc. Fabricates Beautiful Two-Sided Memorial Southern Granite Company in Elberton, Georgia has a relationship with numerous me-morial retailers across the country, however, having the opportunity to create a memorial for a former Chief of Staff in state government is not something that happens very often. Francis Michael Haydon, the former Chief of Staff to Steve Beshear, Governor of Kentucky, wanted a memorial that would be a reminder of his love for the people of the great state of Kentucky as well as the various positions he held within that government. The Memorial, fabricated from Southern Granite’s Paradise Black, is uniquely adorned with the state capital on one side, while having the state seal placed on the opposite side of the memorial. While McKinley Monuments of Campbellsville, Kentucky finished everything off by adding the lettering style and graphics, Southern Granite Company cut the stone, and fabricated the half columns on either side of the memorial so they would be reminiscent of the state capital columns. One of the finer points in this memorial is the softness with which the clouds were placed onto the memorial. This is an outstanding example of both companies working together to create a memorial showcasing the customer’s love of public service as well as the use of different textures within a single piece! King’s Monument Company, Inc. Goes Old School Terry Wiitanen of Champion Monument has one of the best motto’s I’ve ever heard; “I don’t want to sell you something that has you pounding on my door five years later!”. Terry’s location is in Hancock, Michigan, and to be honest, his short season of late April to early Octo-ber doesn’t allow him much time for repairs. To that end, Terry sells North American granite that he knows will last and will benefit his customers the most. A member of the Chopp family called and spoke to Terry about erecting a family memo-rial that would mirror a memorial in an older section of Lakeview Cemetery belonging to this generations Great-Grandparents. The Chopp Great Grandparents had chosen gray granite for their memorial, and this generation wanted something a little different since their memorial would be in the newer section of the cemetery. Terry showed them a color named “Rib Moun-tain”, a color that would make their memorial stand out in a cemetery of over 32,000 resi-dents. Terry worked very closely with the staff of King’s Monument Co., Inc. because of the ‘old school’ techniques that King’s Monument utilizes in their work. Terry also says that, “If Jer-ry gives you his word, then it’s golden”, another ‘old school’ move. Both Terry and the Chopp family are extremely happy with the attention to detail in craftsmanship of the finished memo-rial. L&M Granite Co., LLC Teams With Kline Memorials To Memorialize Highly Decorated Marine Corps Battalion Former Marine Corps Corporal, Harrell Roberts had been instructed by the personnel inside the Marine Corps Museum, located in Quantico, Virginia, to visit Rick Burroughs of Kline Memorials in Manassas, Virginia to discuss a memorial to be placed on museum grounds. Mr. Roberts is a former member of the 3rd Battalion 1st Marines (3/1), also known as George Company, and wanted a monument dedicated to the Marines he fought alongside during the Korean War, which unfortunately, is known as “The Forgotten War”. As is often the case, Rick immediately contacted L&M Granite Co., Inc. to have the five piece stone fabricated, and then shipped to Kline Memorials where the lettering, carving and bronze plaque were applied prior to installation. The design, chosen by Mr. Roberts, is similar to one in Savannah, Georgia where a dedication had taken place for all veterans of the Korean War. L&M Granite Co., Inc., and Kline Memorials produced an outstanding memorial to the men of George Company, an amazing brotherhood of Marines that received little basic training only to be shipped off to Korea to face the Battle of Inchon, the retaking of Seoul, South Korea, and the Battle for the Chosin Reservoir. Because of the battles these men endured, they re-ceived the moniker, “Bloody George Company” and became one of the most highly decorated companies in the Marine Corps. Keystone Memorials, Inc. Creates The Base For TWO Medal of Honor Recipients! Bobby Schlitzberger received a call from former Presidential Candidate, Ross Perot, to create what he calls “A tribute to unsung heros that may not even be known by the local popu-lation”. To be honest, Schlitzberger & Daughters Monument Company receives this call every 18 to 24 months but this one was for a monument that would be a little different. You see, BOTH men depicted on this statue are Medal of Honor recipients! Bobby wanted to make sure that the base for this statue was done right the first time, as the final depiction was to be the focal point at the Navy SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida. So, Bobby called his friend Tom Oglesby at Keystone Memorials, Inc. to discuss design and sizes for what the museum wanted as the base of this monument. In October of 1972, Lt. Tommy Norris and Petty Officer Mike Thornton, advising a three-man LDNN (Vietnamese Special Forces) patrol on a dangerous intelligence gathering and pris-oner capture operation, came under heavy and sustained gun fire by an overwhelmingly superi-or enemy force. After five hours of intense combat, Lt. Norris was severely wounded, rendered unconscious and, inaccurately reported as dead by the LDNNs. Petty Officer Thornton raced to Lt. Norris through a hail of enemy fire, killed two North Vietnamese soldiers standing over Nor-ris, carried him back through enemy fire to the coast and began swimming him out to sea. Alt-hough bullets and shrapnel wounded Petty Officer Thornton, Thornton strapped his own life vest to Lt. Norris to keep him afloat. When another team member was shot in the hip and couldn’t swim, Thornton grabbed him and swam for two hours to the same boat that they had launched from 16 hours earlier! On October 15, 1973, Michael Thornton was on his way to the White House to receive the Medal of Honor from President Richard Nixon. Lieutenant Norris, still a patient at nearby Bethesda Naval Hospital was forbidden by his doctors to go to the ceremony, but Thornton “spirited” him out the back door of the facility and took him along. On March 6th, 1976, Lieu-tenant Norris received the Medal of Honor from President Ford culminating from actions taken during three days in April of ’72. Lt. Norris rescued two downed U.S. Air Force officers behind enemy lines. During the three days, Lt. Norris located both airmen and rebuffed heavy machine gun fire while nearing the forward operating base (FOB). When they reached the FOB, Lt. Nor-ris is credited with saving the lives of numerous South Vietnamese commandos, directing counter fire, and treating the wounded after the FOB came under a heavy attack! Petty Officer Thornton was in the audience as his friend received his Medal of Honor. Keystone Memorials, Inc. did an outstanding job creating the massive Galaxy Jet Black piece (5-4 X 3-2 X 4-0) that shows amazing gold leaf lettering on all four sides of the base as well as incredible attention to detail in the carving and painting of the Medal of Honor and Na-vy SEAL Trident. After hearing how pleased the people are at the museum, our family is al-ready planning on visiting soon! Burton Monument Co., Inc Honors Veterans of World War II Memorial Day is not the time to thank a veteran for their service, it is a time to re-member those that have given everything for the freedom’s we enjoy everyday. Take a few minutes to speak to someone who has spent time in battle, spent time fighting side-by-side with one of their friends and you might be able to understand the first sentence a little better. Charles “Nick” Nicholson is a former Marine, but even he can get choked up by a story from a World War II veteran. A couple of years ago, this is exactly what happened to Nick while he spoke to a WWII Navy veteran, and it was the same time that Nick wanted those WWII veter-ans to be remembered. As a member of American Legion Post 30 in Albany, Georgia, Nick and some of his compatriots drew up a design for a granite memorial to be placed in Albany’s Veterans Park. Once they all agreed on the overall design, Nick took it to Mike Matthews at Matthews Funeral Home in Albany. Mike helped Nick finish off the details of the drawing and called Johnny and Janet Burton of Burton Monument Co., Inc., to get even more particular information about stone, size and design aspects of the finished product. Nick makes no bones about how difficult it was to get the ball rolling for this project, Nick has become an expert on fund raising. When asked about what sort of fund raising did he and his committee do, he rattles things off like a grocery list; “Well, we did ‘donation jars’, countless fish fry’s, motorcycle charity rides, and then our biggest donation came from the “Le-gion Riders of Albany”. A group of motorcycle riders that are a part of the local American Le-gion donated a Big Dog Motorcycle to be raffled off, some of the proceeds would go to the WWII Memorial, while some would go to various children’s charities. That motorcycle donation turned out to be the most beneficial thing to help in raising money. The project completed by Burton Monument Co., Inc., measures out: J & B Granite Redesigns Family Memorial Skyline Monument Company sits on the rim of Skyline Mountain and opened its doors in 1961. That’s a long time for word of mouth to spread about a new business. For the owners, James Grady and Fannie Mae Sharp, word spread quickly about the small brick building with the small sign, on top of the mountain. Isaac Bellomy had lived in Scottsboro, Alabama, not too far away from Skyline, all his life and known about Skyline Monument for years. This past fall, Mr. Bellomy walked into Skyline and spoke to Ken Cornelison about a monument for his family, and since they had both known each other since Ken and Mr. Bellomy’s daughter had attended high school together, the design process went relatively smooth. Mr. Bellomy had seen a me-morial he liked in Scottsboro, Alabama but, he wanted the top flat and not one with an apex, like the one he had seen elsewhere. He also wanted a small personal touch added to the flow-er vases on either side of the center piece. Ken assured Mr. Bellomy he had the perfect place to get his stone and made a call to Mark and Tammy Parham of J&B Granite Co., LLC. Tammy has known Ken for years, and remembers stories about Mr and Mrs. Sharp coming to Elberton, Georgia to choose their stone, load it on their truck, and take it back to Skyline themselves. Ken sent pictures and measurements of the memorial that Mr. Bellomy had seen in Scottsboro to J&B Granite Co., LLC and, after some design discussions between Ken and Tammy, Mr. Bellomy was delighted with the final piece seen above. Mr. Bellomy will also have a military marker placed with the memorial, from his time in the military, when it arrives from the V.A. The memorial above, Base: 9-0 x 3-0 x 0-10, Sub Base: 7-0 x 2-2 x 0-10, Die: 6-0 x 1-2 x 2-2, Cap: 7-2 x 1-10 x 0-10, was the last memorial to be sold by Mr. Sharp before he retired. And although Tammy will miss James and Fannie Mae, she knows that nothing beats their view from that mountain where a small brick building started a wonderful career. EGA announces our 2014 Training Institute featuring the Monument Retailers Basic Course on October 27-30, 2014 The class is geared towards those new to the monument industry, however the class will benefit anyone looking to expand their knowledge in our industry. The three-day course will feature tours around Elberton and seminars on industry terminology, pricing, selling and so much more. This year’s guest speaker is Paul Dimatteo, owner of Maine Memorial Co., and Past President of MBNA and the New England Momument Builders Association. He has been in the monument industry since 1988, and has taught numerous educational seminars within the business. We are thrilled to have him as part of this course! With presentations by Paul DiMatteo, C.M. Owner of Maine Memorial Company The EGA is thrilled to welcome Paul DiMatteo as this year’s guest speaker! Paul is the owner of Maine Memorial Company in South Portland, ME., and is part of a family with a rich history in the monument industry. Started in 1919, Paul purchased Maine Memorial Company from his father in 1988. Growing up in the monument business provided him with knowledge in every aspect of monument manufacturing, sales and administration. He graduated from the University of Southern Maine, with a B.S. Degree in Economics and, an A.B.S. Degree in Business Administration. Paul’s past involvements include being a Board Member of the Monument Builders of North America, and the New England Monument Dealers Association. Paul is also the Past President for Monument Builders of North America and, the New England Monument Builders Association. In 2004, Paul became a Certified Memorialist. In 1998 and 1999, Paul won the As-pire Award for Marketing and Public Relations. Paul says that his seminars are not only lively and entertaining, he promises that, “Whether you have been working in the industry for 50 years or just 50 days, you will learn something new by attending this seminar.” MAMBA Annual Meeting July 18-20, 2013 Overland, KS Mary Tittlemier, Clinton, MO., Chance Wilson, Clinton, MO., Rachel Dunnar, Troy, MO., K.C. Girth, Lexington, MO., Debbie Thurman, Troy, MO., Kelsey Gifford, Clinton, MO., Anita Nelson, Keystone Memorials, Kenneth Dodds, Ottawa, KS., Dixie Atchison, Clinton, MO., Sharon Dodds, Ottawa, KS., Chuck Grey, Clinton, MO., Bob Nelson, Keystone Memorials, Jeff Adkinson, Lexing-ton, MO., Glynn Whitener, Kennett, MO., Gerald Atchison, Clinton, MO., Tom Oglesby, Key-stone Memorials Roger Aholt, Washington, MO., Marla Scarborough, Granite, OK., Jim & Josh Bell, Beloit, KS., Debbie Aholt, Washington, MO., Linda Morris, Granite, OK., Ruth Bell, Beloit, KS., Brent Holt, Keystone Memorials, Janet Clark, Clay Center, KS., Josh Trimble, Marysville, KS., Chris Gorell, Clay Center, KS., Tom Oglesby, Keystone Memorials Mid-Atlantic Monument Builders Association January 16-19, 2014 Baltimore, MD Held at the Baltimore Waterfront Marriott, this show had it all! In combination with the New York Monument Builders Association and, the Monument Builders of New England, retailers from six Northeastern states attended this well planned convention. Vendors, and retailers, commented that making friends is sure easy while enjoying a couple of crab cakes! The aisles were lined with both small, and large booths, making it easy for the retailers to do business and, make plans for the upcoming year! For those that brought family members to this event, they were able to tour Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Oriole’s, and the National Aquar-ium of Baltimore. Folks are already looking forward to next year’s event! Wayne & Sharon Parker, Jeff & Tammy Parker all of Hamilton, VA, Tony Mills, L&M Granite Co., LLC, Libby McNeil, Manasses, VA, Teresa Piper, Hamilton, VA. John Parrish, Manasses, VA, Robert Piper, Hamiltion, VA, Rick Burroughs, Manasses, VA, Stan Mills, L&M Granite Co., LLC, Kellyn Willis, Athens, GA, Debbie Willis, Darica Trucking Co., Inc., Mike & Gae Rinker, Mt. Jack-son, VA, Stanley Toole, Darica Trucking Co., Inc. Amee Farnum, Northfield, VT, Elaine Oglesby, Keystone Memorials, Inc., Tony Tirabassi, Port-land, ME, Tom Oglesby, Keystone Memorials, Inc., Ben Hamilton & Paul Dimatteo, Portland, ME, Chris & Alicia St. John, Jackson, MI, Cathy & Carl Singley, Catawissa, PA, Bob Zucchi, N. Bergen, N.J., George Oglesby III, Keystone Memorials, Inc. Kim Borland, Leeper, PA, Jerry King, King’s Monument Co., Inc., Marylin Irvin, Westminster, MD.,Greg Borland, Leeper, PA., Kim Brickman, Willoughby, OH., Becky & Kurt Luckymeyer of St. Augustine, FL., Trudy King, King’s Monument Co., Inc., Becky Gealy, Hermitage, PA., Ronnie Porobenski, North Hampton, PA., Larry Gealy, Hermitage, PA., Ben Porobenski, N. Hampton, PA., Dan Freeburg, Erie, PA., Sherrie Lawerence, Erie, PA., Bennie Porobenski, N. Hampton, PA. Pat Guzzo(sitting), Valhalla, NY., Steve Skeba & Hillary Vaughn of Star Granite & Bronze, Pete Giannone, Blackwood, NJ, Willie Farrell, Yardville, NJ StonExpo 2014 January 27-30, 2014 Mandalay Bay Resort Las Vegas, NV The StoneExpo is one of the largest conventions for our particular industry and, Las Vegas is one of the best locations to hold a convention that can handle the enormity of the crowds, as well as vendors! And with three full days of exhibit time, the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Resort did not disappoint. Representing the EGA, Matthew Pruitt took the opportunity to attend one of the two meetings held by the NSC Board. Issues discussed included promoting the stone industry as a whole, environmental regulations, safety regulations that included OSHA’s newly pro-posed silica rule, as well as overall industry concerns. Elena Meggiorin & Adriano Soso of Italdiamant USA, Inc., Eric Pate, Wilmington, N.C. Annie Cline, Andy Lundberg and Jeff Lackie of Diamant Boart. Customers Jeremy Hollfeldner and Dale Ripp Jim Bell, Josh Bell, Charles Burke, and Ruth Bell (not pictured) from Bell Memorials stopped by the EGA booth to visit ICCFA April 8 - 11, 2014 Mandalay Bay Resort Las Vegas, NV From two-time Heisman Trophy Winner, Archie Griffin to MLB Record Holder, Pete Rose…. The 2014 ICCFA convention was one to remember. Great food and over 11 hours of exhibit time throughout the convention made it a hit. Breakout sessions provided patrons with numerous opportunities for continuing education. Attendance was exceptional and the Mandalay Bay did not disappoint with their hospitality! Kelly Dwyer, Flat Rock, MI., Carrie Guest. Star Granite & Bronze Nick Fleischer, Nathan Walters, Sanford Butler, and Kevin Brown of Eagle Granite Co., Inc. James DeCastro, Casa Grande, AZ. Wisconsin Association of Monument Builders June 19 - 21, 2014 Blue Harbor Resort Sheboygan, WI This year the WAMB Convention was held at one of the most beautiful locations I’ve been to in a long time. The organizers definitely planned the event to include family with the resort hav-ing an indoor water park, charter fishing, and a brat fry! The meetings were an outstanding mix of industry business planning, state representatives speaking about the industry’s impact on the state, and the various types of memorializing loved ones. All of which turned this conven-tion into a MUST next year. Lloyd Notsch, Miles Supply of Rockville, MN., Judy & Tim Haskin, Tomahawk, WI. Joan & Bill Fox, Henry & Henry, Inc., Tim & Judy Haskin, Tomahawk, WI. Sharon Roehrborn, Manitowoc, WI., Carrie Guest, Star Granite and Bronze, Eric Zabel, Mani-towoc, WI. Teresa & Greg Gramke, Glanesville, WI., Greg Mathewson, New London, WI., Brenda Huse, New London, WI., Jerry & Trudy King, King’s Monument Co., Inc., Rich Ashbrenner, King’s Mon-ument Co., Inc., Pat & Tricia Vogel, Burlington, WI. Dick Wieser, Lacrosse, WI., John Block, Watertown, WI., Sheila Wieser, Lacrosse, WI., Jim & Sonya Hulme, Eagle Granite Co., Inc., Eric Zabel, Manitowoc, WI., Rick & Sharon Roehrborn, Manitowoc, WI., Lisa & Dan Kretschman, Shawand, WI. The picture below was taken at the Tennessee Monument Builders Association & Kentucky Association of Monument Dealers Joint Convention in October of last year. This is the last picture of Mr. David Edwards before his passing, and was inadvertently left out of the last issue of the Graniteer Magazine. I wanted to take this page to apologize to the Edwards family for not incorporating a picture that does indeed show his jovial zest for life! Bradley, Diane & Andy Futrell, Louisville, KY., Patty Currington, Ashland, KY., Melissa Dias, Southern Granite Co., Inc. Judy & Don Bentley, Mt. Eden, KY., Juanita Harper, Ironton, OH., Missy & John McKinley, Campbellsville, KY., David Edwards, Southern Granite Co., Inc. Jason Edwards, Southern Granite Co., Inc. David Michael Edwards Southern Granite Co., Inc. Mr. David Michael Edwards, 62, of Elberton, passed away Monday, Feb. 10th, 2014 at Elbert Memorial Hospital. Mr. Edwards was born in Elbert County to the late James Archibald and Sara Vickery Edwards. He was married to Vicki Eavenson Edwards for over 42 years. He began working in the granite industry at Southern Granite Company in 1971 and became the owner in 1984. He was renowned in the granite industry for ideas, talents and knowledge of the industry. Mr. Edwards was also a member of the Calvary Presbyterian Church in Elberton Georgia. In addition to being an avid fisherman, Mr. Edwards was also a master craftsman for anything he put his mind to, and was known for his great sense of humor. He dearly loved his family, and his grandchildren were his pride and joy. Mr. Edwards is survived by his wife Vicki Eavenson Edwards: one daughter, Melissa Dias and her husband T.J.; one son, Jason Edwards and his wife Tiffany; and four grandchildren, Madelyn Dias, Grayson Dias, Katelyn Edwards, and Brayden Edwards, all of Elberton Georgia. Mr. Edwards also leaves behind a sister, Brenda Edwards, and a brother, Larry Edwards. A service to celebrate Mr. Edwards’ life was held Saturday Feb. 15th, 2014 in the Chapel of the Hicks Funeral Home, Elberton. Rev. Tim Adams and Mr. Tommy Fields officiated the ceremony. DOWNTOWN DISPLAY OLD SOUTH GRANITE COMPANY DESERT ROSE CENTURY-HARMONY COMPANY AND GLASS ART ABLE KING'S MONUMENT COMPANY BLUE SABLE MIZE GEORGIA SELECT BLUE APEX GRANITE MORNING ROSE BASTON BASTON SELECT KEYSTONE TOPAZ BLUE