Spring 2013 Part One of a Series: “Mrs. Jones and Me” Editorials should be informative, enjoyable to read and not too far to the left or to the right politically speaking if you expect people to read what you have written. I have tried to ad-here to those self proclaimed standards since I began writing but from the comments made in a couple of letters I have received, I’m afraid I must have stepped over one or more of those imaginary lines. As I considered a subject for this editorial, I thought internet memorial sales should be a “safe” bet. Most retailers don’t like them. Manufacturers surely don’t like them. I’m amazed that they even exist. Who could complain if I went off on a rant about internet monument sales? There is a guy that might grumble a little but hey you can’t make everybody happy! Cemetery memorials are not an item that should be sold over the internet. Think about this, when a monument is sold via the internet everyone that comes into contact with that memorial will be forced to go an extra mile that they would not have had to go were the mon-ument purchased from a local American Monument Retailer. Just over a year ago I received a phone call from a lady that was upset about a monu-ment that she had ordered from China. For the sake of argument let’s call her Mrs. Jones. She had gotten our telephone number from the EGA website thinking that we might be able to help her with her problem. Mrs. Jones opened the conversation by saying that she had ordered a granite angel to place at her late husband’s cemetery plot nine months earlier. I could tell from the sound of her voice that she was very distraught and with good reason. She went on to say that the seller had promised her that it would be delivered in six months and with that date having passed three months ago, she was getting worried that she may have made a bad deci-sion. I thought for a moment and asked, “Did you order this angel from the XYZ Company?” She said yes. I asked, “How much money did you have to pay down on the piece?” She said $25,000. Without thinking I said, “You must have a lot more money than I do.” But I followed that up by saying I would suggest that you do not pay any more money until you see your angel. My curiosity got the best of me at this point and I asked, “Was this by chance 50% of the total purchase price?” Again she said yes! At this point my only suggestion to the woman was that she should continue to call the seller until she either got what she had paid for or had gotten her money back. As I sat and thought about Mrs. Jones’s situation I couldn’t help but think how many times this must happen across the country every day. Before I hung up the phone I asked Mrs. Jones a series of questions because I wanted to make a point, but more importantly, I wanted to prepare Mrs. Jones for the extra mile she was going to have to go in order to see this ordeal completed. I asked if she had a forklift at her home to unload the piece when it was delivered. She said, “NO!” I asked who was going to pour the foundation and set the memorial when it was deliv-ered. She said, “I don’t know.” I asked if there were any size restrictions at the cemetery where Mr. Jones was buried. She said, “I have no idea.” When our conversation ended, I couldn’t help but wonder if the angel ever made it to its chosen resting place or if it ended up in Mrs. Jones’s rose garden for one reason or another. TO BE CONTINUED! The EGA is excited to announce our 2013 Training Institute has been set! We will host the popular Monument Retailers Basic Course on October 7-10, 2013. Check page 10 for more information, or visit www.egaonline.com to download the application! 100th Session of the EGA Training Institute This year marks the 100th session the EGA Training Institute, and we’re hosting our ever-popular Monument Retailers Basic Course to mark the occasion. The Basic Course was the first class to be held at EGA, and has remained the tried-and-true favorite of retailers across the country. Since 1981, EGA has been hosting groups of monument retailers from around the coun-try to visit Elberton and get a first-hand glimpse of the start to finish process in monument manufacturing. Classes have ranged from basic information classes to sales, emerging tech-nology and female roles in the industry. EGA has hosted over 600 students in the Basic Course, traveling from 38 states and Puerto Rico. The training received from Elberton has been hailed as “helpful”, “like no other,” and even “priceless,” by the hundreds of graduates. Students are brought into Elberton, a world that revolves around granite, and get to steal a glance into the everyday lives of the quarriers, stone cutters, top polishers, etchers and the many other members of the Elberton Granite In-dustry. Besides seeing the actual process, how could the EGA Training Institute benefit a re-tailer? One of the biggest remarks after attending a Training Institute is the broad understand-ing that comes with seeing the process from start to finish. Retailers are able to explain to families that each monument produced in Elberton is hand crafted, created by numerous indi-viduals who are experts at their trade. As a training graduated from 2011 stated: “I gained an appreciation for the stone. Far more hands touched this stone than I realized before it ever got to me for installation.” Our member-firms produce the best quality monuments, and by welcoming visitors to teach them the ins and outs of the business, EGA hopes to bring to light the incredible amount of work and talent that goes into each and every monument. Pictured above left: The first ses-sion of the EGA Training Institute was held in August of 1981 with 14 participants from across the country. Pictured above right: The 2012 Monument Retailers Basic Course had 22 partici-pants and are pictured at the Elberton Granite Museum and Exhibit. Congratulations to the Keep America Working Winners! Ericson Memorial Studios, Inc. Erie, Penn. Ericson Memorial Studios, Inc., is the winner of our $15,000 purchase certificate. Started in 1925, the business was purchased by the current owners in 1962. They have been doing busi-ness with King’s Monument Company, Inc., for over 20 years. Pictured left to right: Dan Free-burg, head of production and sales, Peter Burton, president and Sherri Lawrence, design artist at the 2013 MBNA Convention. L.E. Simmons Monument Company, Inc. Crewe, Va. In only their second year of doing business with Majestic Granite Company, LLC, L.E. Simmons Monument Company, Inc., was awarded one of the $5,000 purchase certificates. Owner Gary Simmons is a fourth generation memorialist and has taken over the company his father started in 1961. He is pictured here at The Granite Center in Elberton. Keith Monument Company, Inc. Elizabethtown, Ky. Keith Monument Company, Inc., won the second of our two $5,000 purchase certificates. The company employs over 50 employees, some who are fifth and sixth generation memorialists. They were stablished in 1867, and have been doing business with Eagle Granite Company, Inc,. for the last five years. Pictured at right are Timmy Dixon, Memorial Counselor, Tim Thomas, Memorial Counselor, Rich Urbach, Owner and Derek Keith, Memorial Counselor. Frank Coggins, owner of Granite Environmental Consultants and long-time commu-nity philanthropist, died March 4 Story by Gary Jones, Elberton Star There’s not a nook or cranny - there’s no community, no neighborhood, no business, no family, no road, no organization, no politician, no church, no human being - in Elbert County that has gone untouched by Frank Coggins. Coggins died early Monday morning, March 4, 2013, at Elbert Memorial Hospital. “There are those who are unborn in this county who will be touched by his legacy and his gifts,” said Lewis Shurbutt, who met Coggins in 1958. “He was a friend who challenged me to keep doing things for Elbert County. Anything I ever needed him to do, he did it. All I had to do was ask him.” Shurbutt said Coggins asked him to serve as director for the Elbert County Chamber of Commerce in 1960. “I told him with a newspaper and a radio station I just didn’t have the time,” said Shur-butt. “He told me I needed to ‘take the time’ to do it. He was a friend, and I will miss him as a brother.” “The (granite) industry is in the position it is in today because of Frank Coggins,” said Elberton Granite Association, Inc., (EGA) Executive Vice President Doy Johnson. “There are a multitude of people who worked for him or worked for someone who worked for him. He was so insightful. He understood marketing, he understood international marketing, he understood the business side. “And his generosity was unmatched,” continued Johnson. “The county emergency ser-vices building, the hospital, the tennis courts at McWilliams Park, the gun club, Athens Tech - the list goes on and on.” The former Chairman of the Board of Coggins Granite, which at one time employed more than 500 people, Coggins still held membership in EGA. “I worked for him for six months while I was in college,” said Johnson. “There’s a whole lot of people here who can say that.” Coggins was instrumental in the development of the Elbert County Airport; he played a key role in obtaining a commitment for $7 million for the construction of cabins, campsites, and other developments at Richard B. Russell State Park, including $2.5 mil-lion for construction of the golf course; he received the Technical College Foundation Associa-tion of Georgia Benefactor of the Year in 2002 for his work at Athens Technical College’s Elber-ton campus - where he received the Legacy Award for Benefactor of the Year in 2005. Following his military service u ntil 1946 as a United STates Marine, Coggins graduated with a business degree from the University of Georgia. The city of Elberton, as well as the Elberton Granite Industry, will forever be thankful to Mr. Coggins for his contributions to the community, to the city and to the industry. Elberton has lost a true legacy. Coggin’s full obituary is listed on the next page. Above: Two of the numerous donations made around the community by Frank Coggins before his death include contributions to McWilliams park and Athens Technical College. Right: Coggins, seated, pic-tures with his daughters, son-in-law and grandson at the opening of the Elbert County Emer-gency Services building, funded by Coggins. The state-of-the-art building is one of three in the state of Georgia. Coggins Granite Welfare Foundation gives $500,000 to Elbert Memorial Hos-pital Story by Gary Jones, Elberton Star Over the next five years the Elbert Memorial Hospital’s (EMH) Authority board and AnMed Health will be exploring the possibility of building a new hospital in Elbert County. At the EMH Authority board’s monthly meeting in March, EMH and AnMed recieved a $500,000 head start on that project from a familiar EMH booster. Coggins Granite Welfare Foundation, Inc., Trustee Shirley Shell McNeeley of Granite Environmental Consultants presented teh EMH board a check for $500,000. According to a letter form McNeeley written on Feb. 28 and make public last week by Nancy Seymour of the EMH Foundation, the funds are “to be used for the proposed new hospi-tal. If in the event a new hospital is not considered, then the funds should go to the B. Frank Coggins, Jr., Endowment Fund.” McNeeley told the EMH board that the $500,000 gift was one of Mr. Coggins’ final wishes about two weeks before his passing. “I couldn’t be more proud to make this contribution on his behalf,” McNeeley told the board. The announcement of the half-million dollar gift to Elbert County’s hospital was made by the Elbert County Hospital Foundation Chair Pam Smith at the March 26 meeting of the EMH authority board. B. Frank Coggins Granite Environmental Consultants Born in Atlanta on July 14, 1927, Frank was the son of the late Burton F. Coggins and Lollie Kimble Coggins. He is survived by three loving daughters, Mary Aillene Coggins of Atlanta, Nancy and Joel Seymour of Elberton, and Sarah and Matthew Wil-liams of Athens; three grandchildren, Franklin and Elizabeth Whitworth, Christopher Whit-worth, and Graham Williams. He is also survived by a brother, John Kimble Coggins and a number of nieces and nephews. Also surviving are his faithful and loyal business associates, Shirley Shell McNeely and Judy Carroll. He is preceded in death by his beloved sister, Anne Cog-gins DeBorde. In addition to the above, he is survived by his loving caregivers, Lisa Worley, Sandra Massey, Lynda Hogsed, Lynelle Aaron, Julie Saylers, Jackie Rhodes Smith, and Patty Morrison. Frank attended E. Rivers Elementary School in Atlanta and Episcopal High School in Al-exandria, Virginia and graduated from Marist College in Atlanta. He attended four quarters at the University of Georgia and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He received an honorable dis-charge in August 1946 and then returned to UGA to resume his studies and graduated in 1948 with a degree in Business Administration. Upon graduating, he came to Elberton to join his family business in 1949 and to make Elberton his permanent home. He served for a number of years as President of Coggins Granite, Inc, which at one time was the largest and most modern granite quarrying and manufacturing company in the United States and Canada. He was a member of the Elberton Granite Association where he served as President in 1967-68, the American Monument Association, Elberton Elks Lodge, Elberton Rotary Club where he served as President 1974-75 and had perfect attendance for 42 years, the Elberton Country Club, and Game Coin International. He also had the honor of being in the Advanced Management Pro-gram at Emory University which he completed in 1961. Through his love for his community, he worked tirelessly in the 60’s and 70’s to recruit industry for Elberton. He attended numerous seminars to educate himself on the aspects of attracting industry and spent untold hours on many projects. In 1972, the biggest success was the carpet backing operation of A. Jalil. Frank was so convinced that this would be good for El-berton, he and his family arranged to purchase the bonds covering the cost of the building to assure that the plant would locate in Elberton. He was recognized several times with The Community Service Award by the Chamber of Commerce. In 2001, he had the distinction of be-ing the first to receive the Chamber of Commerce Ambassador Award. With that award came the words, “our Ambassador has demonstrated over and over again that the interest of Elbert County holds a higher calling than personal interest.” He valued so highly the possibility of a technical college in Elbert County that he donated 42 acres of prime real estate to benefit Ath-ens Technical College and the people of this region. He waged a relentless campaign to push for the four-laning of Highways 72 and 17, and has been ever vigilant to promote the develop-ment of Lake Russell State Park and Arrowhead Pointe Golf Course. These are only a few of the many visionary projects that Mr. Coggins has undertaken to benefit Elbert County. His undying love for Elberton and Elbert County can be seen through his generosity where the entire community benefitted to some degree. He has donated land for so many pro-jects including Athens Technical College’s Elbert County Campus, Elbert County Library, Elberton Christian Church, Samuel Elbert Academy, Love in Action Church, Jehovah’s Witness Church, American Legion, and numerous others. In addition to land donations, monetary contributions have been made to civic and charitable organizations, as well as local law enforcement agen-cies and Elbert County Government. Through the generosity of Frank and his siblings, John and Anne, they made funds available to honor their father by funding the B.F. Coggins, Sr. Tennis Complex at McWilliams Park. His hobby was working, although he did indulge in several trips abroad for hunting ex-peditions including numerous trips to Africa, Nepal, and South America. He later became ac-quainted with the island chain, Turks & Caicos, British West Indies. So fond of Providenciales, the major island in the group, he acquired a home there and spent several months each year at the location overseeing the land holdings of his company. Frank was dedicated to his church, St. Alban’s Episcopal, which he attended faithfully until his health started to fail. He had served in numerous positions at his church including Treasurer and Senior Warden. Memorials in lieu of flowers may be made to St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 109 Brookside Drive, Elberton, Georgia 30635, Elbert Memorial Hospital Foundation, Frank Coggins, Jr. Endowment, 4 Medical Drive, Elberton, Georgia 30635, or to a charity of one’s choice. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.berryfh.com. Stockton Jones Elberton Granite Association, Inc. Stockton Elliott Jones, 73, of 1137 Grady Cleveland Road, husband of Martha Lee Fleming Jones, passed away Monday, February 11, 2013, at Athens Re-gional Medical Center. Mr. Jones was born in Greensboro, N.C., April 21, 1939, to the late Frank A. Jones, Sr., and Monte Gaines Jones. He was an Elberton Granite Association monument inspector and a former granite worker. Stockton was a member and deacon of Doves Creek Baptist Church and a 4-H volunteer leader. Left to cherish his memories are his wife of 51 years, Martha Lee Fleming Jones; chil-dren and their spouses, Sonya and Allen Lee of Elberton and David and Stacy Jones of Monroe; three grandchildren, Elliott James Lee, Hendley Stockton Jones and Kaylor Lee Jones; and sister-in-law Nancy Cramer Jones of Carrollton. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his brother, Frank A. Jones, Jr. Funeral services celebrating his life were held Wednesday, February 13 in the Doves Creek Baptist Church with Dr. Marshall Tribble and the Rev. Douglas Huff officiating. Memori-als may be made in his honor to the Doves Creek Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, TJ & Friends Foundation or to Georgia 4-H Clovers and Company. Wilson Industrial Electric named Industry of the Month The Elbert County Chamber of Commerce Community Pride Committee selected Wilson Indus-trial Electric, Inc., as the Industry of the Month for April. Wilson Industrial specializes in produc-ing and repairing machinery for the granite industry. They have been a member of the EGA since 1986. Pictured at the business are (front row, L to R): Michael Rutherford, Ray Wilson, Melissa Black (owner), Tracy Maxwell, Darrell Burt and Val Evans; (back row, L to R) Bill Brown, Bill Skelton and Clint Webb. Photo by Gary Jones, Elberton Star. Italdiamant, USA, introduced a Zeus Diamond Silent Cutting Blade at Stone Expo in Las Vegas in January. The blades are available in 14-24” widths. Italdiamant is the only company in the industry to offer 28MM tall, full diamond blades. The diamonds are laser welded, so that no segments will fly off while in use. The blades can cut 9-12ft. per minute based on a 3cm. cut-ting slab. It can also saw between 8,000-9,000 linear feet based on one pass through a 3cm. cutting slab. The blade can run at 1900RPM with no stress on the amperometer. School of Hard Rocks The School of Hard Rocks returned to Elberton in March for their sixth and seventh ses-sion of the class that teaches shop techniques, hands-on sculpture work and design elements. Charlie Hunt of Hunt Memorials in Nashville, Tenn., Scott Luken of Luken Memorials in Souix Falls, S.D., and Bobby Mattos of Bras & Mattos Monument Company in Hayward, Calif., three creative masterminds in the industry, join forces to teach a small group of retailers from around the country how to incorporate unique designs into their everyday monuments. The class is held at Keystone Memorials, Inc. This year was a little different for the group; Charlie, Scott and Bobby hosted two dif-ferent classes in one week, the first being the normally scheduled School of Hard Rocks and the second being the Monument Builders of the Carolinas who were in Elberton for their annual visit. Miles Supply of Elberton provided tools each day as well as lunch one day for each group. Bicknell Supply Company, Inc., also provided lunch for both groups. The Monument Builders of the Carolinas hosted a banquet on Friday night, welcoming numerous EGA mem-bers for dinner at the Elberton Country Club. The crowd spent their time working on sculptures from scrap rock. Some projects were done individually, while others were group efforts. These sculptures could be incorporated into memorials or used as yard art. For three days of work, they created beautiful products! This was the first time Bobby, Charlie and Scott had hosted a regional associaiton as their stu-dents for the School of Hard Rocks, and it was a wonderful turn out. The Monument Builders of the Carolinas learned shop techniques as well as design techniques during their three-day workshop. Bicknell manager steps down, assistant manager promoted After 17 years as manager of Bicknell Supply Company, James Tuner has stepped down and will stay at the supply house working part-time. Mike Beri, former assistant manager, as been promoted to manager. Mike has been with Bicknell for 25 years and is looking forward to con-tinuing to expand the overall product lines at Bicknell. James totaled 44 years in the industry, but is looking forward to spending more time with family. Bicknell Supply Company has been in business since 1893, with their home office locat-ed in Rockland, Maine. The Elberton location is one of the oldest businesses in Elberton, dating back to 1903. James Turner, former manager, and Mike Beri, the new manager of Bicknell Sup-ply Company, Inc. With over 20 years of experience in the granite industry, Mike Giese has taken his expertise to Apex-Mize Granite Company, Inc. As sales and marketing director, Mike is responsible for the promotions and new product development, sales as well as keeping in constant contact with the customers. He also assists owner Jack Vickery with the operations of the plant. Mike plans to use his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Marketing from the University of Alabama in Hunstville to implement a digital communications plan through Apex-Mize’s website as well as email. Apex-Mize wel-comes sales and marketing director More additions to the customer service team at Star Granite & Bronze Star Granite & Bronze has added more Customer Service Specialists to their ever-growing customer relations team. Brannan Wicker began with Star in August of 2012. When asked about her first job in the gran-ite industry, Brannan commented, “I’m really enjoying it!”. Brannan is from Hartwell where she lives with her hus-band and two daughters. She has a background in corporate transportation with experience in customer service. Her responsibilities include taking orders, giving quotes, sales, and handling any customer concerns that may arise. Christy Guest is also a Customer Service Specialist and has been with Star since October of 2012. She has been working in the granite industry for over ten years and is excited to join a large company. “It’s very fast-paced, and learning the bronze side of the business was new to me, but everyone’s been so nice and helpful,” she comments. Christy lives in Elberton with her husband, Kent, who is also in the granite industry and her four-year-old son. She and her family are active members of Rock Branch Baptist Church. EGA Training Institute The Elberton Granite Association is excited to announce our 100th Session of the Monument Retailers Basic Course on October 7-10, 2013. The class is geared towards those new to the monument industry, however the class will bene-fit anyone looking to expand their knowledge in our industry. The three-day course will feature tours around Elberton and seminars on industry terminology, pricing, and so much more. “I gained an overall better understanding of the business from top to bottom. Everyone was super helpful. It was a great experience.” “Being able to see the granite process from start to finish and realizing how many people are involved in getting the granite to [the retailers] was a huge benefit.” “The training I recieved in Elberton was truly priceless.” 2012 Training Institute Graduates With presentations by Don Calhoun, President of Murphy Granite Carving, Inc. EGA is thrilled to welcome Don Calhoun as this year’s guest speaker! Don is President of Murphy Granite Carving, Inc. in Richmond, Minn. He has been in the monument industry his whole life. Growing up in the monument business provided him with knowledge in every as-pect of monument manufacturing, sales and administration. He graduated from St. Johns Uni-versity with a degree in Economics and Business Administration. Don is forever trying new approaches and experimenting with new ideas. His theory is simple: “You’re either growing, or you’re dying, there is no such thing as staying the same.” Don’s past involvements include Edu-cational Chairman and Board Member of Monument Builders of North America, and School Board and Parish Council Member. Don is currently Past President for Monument Builders of North America, Past President of Northwest Monument Builders, Past President of Richmond Civic & Commerce, and is involved in many other church and civic activities. Don is also a Certified Memorialist. He has also been an education speaker for national and regional monument associations over the years. Don loves this industry and believes strongly giving back. He humbled and grateful for this oppor-tunity to serve. Florida veterans honored in Georgia Grey granite Wallace Granite Sales, Inc., along with Southern Monument Studio, Inc., in Leesburg, Fla., worked to create a massive wall of honor for Leesburg area veterans, set across a lake from the Leesburg City Hall. One of the largest veterans memorials in the southeast, the monument covers 2,800 square feet. As of right now, there are roughly 9,000 names on the memorial, with room for approximately 30,000 names. It all began with an architectural rendering of the design, with a few minor changes made to allow the design to work well in granite. Over forty pieces of Georgia Grey granite and one panel of African Jet Black granite make up the structure, totalling over 160,000lbs. From the first drawing to the dedication ceremony, the project took close to a year. Roger Wal-lace, owner of Wallace Granite Sales, says that making sure the pieces fit together correctly was a challenge, especially at this scale. All lettering and installation was done by Southern Monument Studio. Because it can accommodate so many names, a computer system has been installed for visitors to type in the name of the veteran to help find the name on the monument. Veter-ans or families of veterans from the Leesburg and surrounding counties can purchase a name on the monument; new names are added twice a year. There are also 10,000 bricks on the floor of the memorial that are sandblasted on site to honor any person one may choose. A dedication ceremony was held on Armed Forces Day on May 19, 2012. All surrounding veterans groups were invited to come out for the unveiling. The organization is still selling names to fill the monument, as well as bricks. For more information, please visit www.lakeveterans.com. Personal monument in Dakota Mahogany by Rome Granite Designed by Upsher Monument Works of Buckhannon, W.V., the Dunn family memorial was fabricated by Rome Granite, Inc. Frank White, owner of Upsher Monument Works, said the memorial has gained widespread attention around the area and praised the craftsmanship by Rome. The monument is made of nine pieces of Dakota Mahogany granite. The center tablet measures 7-0 x 0-10 x 4-0, polished five with facets. It is flanked on each side by a wing, 5-0 x 0-10 x 3-0, also polished five with facets. Four turned vases stand 0-10 x 0-10 x 1-2. All pieces rest on two bases, 12-0 x 1-4 x 0-10, with a 2” polished margin on three sides and the top pol-ished. The bases are jointed together by a dowell hole. Six Dakota Mahogany flat markers rest on the lot, measuring 2-4 x 1-2 x 0-4 with a pol-ished top and the balance sawn. The memorial is set in the Heavner Cemetery in Buckhannon. Rustic meets modern in unique family monument by Keystone Set in the Natchez City Cemetery in Natchez, Miss., the Kunkle family memorial is an ideal mix-ture of rustic and modern design. Cole Brown of Brookhaven Monument Company, Inc., worked with the family to design a monument that would represent their farming background as well as have a contemporary twist. Keystone Memorials, Inc., fabricated the memorial, which uses a combination of Key-stone Blue and Galaxy Black granite. The boulder stands 4-0 x 1-0 x 3-0 with a rock pitched fin-ish. It sits beside the black all polished tablet, 2-0 x 0-6 x 5-0, that features a cross with strands of wheat representing the family’s farming background as well as the Body of Christ. The base measures 6-0 x 1-2 x 0-8 with a polished flat top, the balance rock pitched, and a 2” polished margin. The vase on the monument was custom designed and cut to match Mr. Kunkle’s actual boot. The vase is the exact size, and the actual shoe was taken to the etcher to replicate the designs and stitching. Beautiful contrast in monument by Central Granite Central Granite Company, Inc., produced a beautiful monument for a family in Elberton. The mixture of colors as well as the monument’s large, imposing stature make it a prominent feature in the Elmhurst Cemetery in Elberton. The Wausau Red obelisk measures 1-4 x 1-4 x 6-8 with polished margin lines and a pol-ished face for the family name. It stands on a Georgia Marble sub base, 3-0 x 3-0 x 0-10, all smooth with a scotia around the top edge. The base is also Wausau Red, measuring 4-0 x 4-0 x 1-0 with a polished flat top, polished margin lines and the balance rock pitched. Central also made three matching bevels of Wausau Red, measuring 2-2 x 1-2 x 0-8 with a polished bevel top, polished margin lines and the balance rock pitched. Roman Orthodox tradition represented by King’s Monument Set in the St. Mary’s Cemetery in Grass Lake, Mich., the Barbu family monument is a nod to the traditions of the Roman Orthodox Church. Grass Lake is home to the Roman Orthodox Episcopate of America; followers of the religion travel from across the continent to be buried in one of the two city’s Roman Orthodox cemeteries. King’s Monument Company, Inc., worked with Jackson Monument, Inc., of Jackson, Mich., to fabricate a stunning bontee cross out of Wausau Red granite. The cross stands 4-0 x 0-10 x 6-4, polish two with the balance steeled and a 5” x 10” x 5” deep niche to hold a seven-day remembrance candle. The candle is a long-standing tradition of the Church that is burned for special occasions such as birthdays or holidays. The base measures 6-0 x 1-6 x 1-2 and features a polished top with the balance rock pitched. Chris St. John of Jackson Monument said that the family knew what size and color they wanted in their monument, but that they duplicated the design from a single monument and customized it to be a double. Eagle constructs monument to commemorate those cremated Set at the Bath Christian Church in Bath, N.C., this unique memorial was created as a memorial to remember those who had been cremated and whose ashes are scattered in the church’s cremation garden. The monument was designed to compliment a columbarium that was al-ready set at the church. Greenville Marble and Granite of Greenville, N.C., worked with Eagle Granite Company, Inc., to design a trapezoid shape; they decided on this unique structure so they could fit as many names on the face of the memorial so it would be legible from the gate of the garden. The monument stands 5-8 x 0-10 x 3-6, all sawn with a 12” drop, bevel top. It is made from Eagle’s Blue Ridge granite. Southern Mausoleums builds large memorial for family in Texas A six crypt mausoleum fabricated by Southern Mausoleums, Inc., stands in the Bryan City Cem-etery in Bryan, Texas. Designed by Rocky Choate, owner of Choate Monument Company in Bry-an, the mausoleum is crafted for both cremations and burials with six crypts and 12 cremations niches. It was preassembled at SMI and shipped in one piece to the customer. The full mon-ument, including the two benches, are all fabricated of all polished Missouri Red granite. African American patriots honored by with monument by Keystone The city of Washington, Ga., wanted to honor one of their own with a monument erected in their town square. Austin Dabney was a slave from Washington during the time of the Revolu-tionary War. Because Georgia was a smaller colony, all men were required to fight, including slaves. Upon finishing their service in the War, slaves were granted their freedom. Dabney fought courageously, and was wounded during the Battle at Kettle Creek, but survived the war. When he returned to Washington, he was granted his freedom and given 50 acres of land, be-coming the only African American in Georgia to own land. The monument was produced by Keystone Memorials, Inc., and the bronze bust sculpt-ed by Professor Kinzey Branham, an art professor at the University of Georgia who specializes in bronze sculptures. The monument was originally going to feature a bust of Dabney, but while doing research Professor Branham realized that there were no likenesses of Dabney that he could base the bronze bust. Instead of creating a face to represent Dabney, he found a painting of James Aramastead Lafayette, another slave who fought in the Revolutionary War under General Lafayette. Now, instead of honoring only Dabney, the monument stands to hon-or all African American Patriots. The bronze features stand out on the Keystone Blue granite bases and wings. The out-side wings are all polished and feature write ups on the national and state experiences during this time period. The smaller inside wings, also all polished, flank the all polished post that holds the bronze statue. Three bases hold the monument with polished flat tops and the bal-ance rock pitched. The overall size of the memorial is 16-0 long and 3-9 tall. Central Granite fabricates wall for “Appreciation Park” to honor Iowa veterans A beautiful tribute to the town’s veterans was set in West Branch, Iowa, and dedicated in front of more than 250 citizens who ventured to the ceremony in the pouring rain. Despite the weather, the crowd gathered to see the American Black granite wall with more than 300 names dedicated by the town’s mayor. The ceremony featured keynote speaker Sgt. Major Duane Strong, along with performances by the West Branch Boys Choir, presentation of colors by the Boy Scouts and Legion and the ceremony ended with the crowd rising to the playing of Taps. After a few changes in the original plan of the monument, the Appreciation Park finally settled in a small alley, located on Main Street in West Branch. The land was donated by the wife of a veteran. Fundraisers began, with families of veterans paying to have the name of their loved one on the wall, as well as community grants. Project organizers kept the communi-ty up to date, setting up booths at festivals, printing brochures and articles in the paper. Central Granite Company, Inc., worked with Iowa Memorials in Muscatine, Iowa, to produce the wall. Five tablets stand side by side, all measuring 4-0 x 0-4 x 6-6, polish front with the bal-ance sawn. The center tablet features the seals of the branches of the military, as well as an etching of a bald eagle. Reliance honors U.S. Navy Admiral with bases for bronze statute Reliance Granite Company, Inc., worked with Rome Monument Company in Rome, Ga., to pro-duce bases for a bronze statue as well as slants surrounding the plaza honoring John Henry Towers, a U.S. Naval admiral and pioneer naval aviator. Towers, a Rome native, is considered the father of naval aviation. He proposed, planned and led the first air crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in 1919. During interwar years, he was the leading advocate of Naval Aviation when there was virtually no other support within or outside the Navy. In 1961, he was posthumously designated the second recipient of the Gray Eagle Award as the most senior active naval aviator from 1928 until his retirement. He was enshrined in the National Aviation Hall of Fame, the International Aerospace Hall of Fame, the National Avia-tion Hall of Honor and the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame. He has a guided missile destroyer named after him, the USS Towers (DDG-9), a crater on the moon was named in his honor by the Apollo 17 Mission, Towers Field at Jacksonville National Air Station in Jacksonville, Fla., is named for him as well as the air field at Richard B. Russell Regional Airport in Rome. In addition to being honored at many other places across the country, Towers was hon-ored in his hometown with plaza in front of City Hall featuring a bronze statue, supported by bases from Reliance Granite Company, Inc. The two bases are round with a polished flat top and the balance rock pitched. Four slants measuring 4-0 x 0-10 x 1-6 surround the statue, as well as concrete benches shaped to look like aircraft carriers. The privately-funded memorial was completed and dedicated in March of 2013. Water feature for Louisiana church by Keystone Memorials Keystone Memorials, Inc., along with Solari Marble and Granite of Lake Charles, La., produced a stunning water feature for the Sacred Heart Church of Oakdale, La. The fountain is a new feature at the church, designed by the preist, who approached the staff of Solari with a design that would recirculate the Holy Water. The two companies worked to design the Missouri Red granite fountain, which features a cap that holds a pump inside which bubbles and recirculates the water. The pedestal stands 1-8 x 1-8 x 2-8, all polished and has the emlem from the Sacred Heart church. It holds the cap, 1-0 x 1-0 x 0-8, all polished, which holds the bowl at the top. It is a polished, recessed bowl with tapered sides that has been waterproofed. It measures 2-2 x 2-2 x 0-8. Southern Granite creates incredible bench for cemetery in Kentucky The idea of a bench is one that is normally pretty simple, but not for the Elrod family. Mr. Elrod worked in construction, but his true love was with cars. His monument is set in a section of the Maplelawn Park Cemetery in Paducah, Ky., that only allows benches, but his family did not want the traditional bench. His wife approached her good friend and owner of Henry and Henry Monuments in Marion, Ky., Billy Fox, with an exact idea of what she wanted, and allowed Billy to design it to work in granite. “We’ve never done a bench like this,” he says. “We’ve done many monumetns that il-lustrate someone’s life like this one does, but never in a bench.” The Paradise Black granite acts as the perfect canvas for the numerous etchings, all which are based on photos of Mr. Elrod’s actual possessions. The front of the bench features an etching of his work bench, with the family name. The back shows seven of “Elrod’s Hot Rods” as well as a Tennesee Titan’s helmet and the logo for his construction company. Southern Granite Company, Inc., fabricated the memorial. The bench seat measures 3-0 x 1-4 x 0-5, all polished, and stands on the support which measures 5-0 x 0-10 x 3-4, all poslished. Two all-polished vases, 0-6 x 0-6 x 1-0 , are mounted on the sides of the support, and are etched to look like pistons. A grass marker was also installed, measuring 2-0 x 1-0 x 0-4 with a polished flat top and the balance rock pitched. This striking bench is the perfect example of a unique and creative way to honor the life of a loved one. Monument Builders of North America February 8-10, 2013 Cincinnati, Ohio The Monument Builders of North America held their annual meeting at the Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati in February. The convention opened Friday night with a Sup-pliers’ Reception, the followed with an all-day show on Saturday full of educational seminars, including classes on managerial accounting, safety practices, marketing and promotions, MB Films “Remember Project” and emerging monument techniques. Ron Bealer, Carole Bealer, Kalispell, MT, Mike Fernandez, Design Mart, LLC. Bruce Fuerstenberg, Vancouver, WA, Ross Oglesby, Amy Oglesby, Southern Mausoleums, Inc., Gerry Jonas, West Harrison, IN, Laura Hernandez, Southern Mausoleums, Inc., Marcie Gray, Steve Gray, Palestine, TX, Bill Faehnle, John Faehnle, Mike Faehnle, Waterville, OH. Rebecca Beggs, Pat Wallis, Cretive-Premier Designs, Inc., Howard Wolford, Carolyn Wolford, Houston, MO, Lydia Kidd, Creative-Premier Designs, Inc. Jerry King, King’s Monument Company, Inc., Mike Wise, Versallis, OH, Marty King, King’s Mon-ument Company, Inc., Kurt and Becky Luckmeyer, St. Augustine, FL, Gary Condon, Versallis, OH, Trudy King, King’s Monument Company, Inc., Rich Ashbrenner, Merrill, WI, Teresa Gramke, Greg Gramke, Glanesville, WI. Cliff Dye, Terri Reel, Star Granite & Bronze, Loren Worthen, Shawn Rector, Albuquerque, NM, Steve Skeba, Star Granite & Bronze Jan Buzalski, Gary, IN, Kevin Laird, Brookhaven, MS, Elaine Oglesby, Keystone Memorials, Inc., Dave Pace, Brookhaven, MS, Linda Abramson, Keystone Memorials, Inc., Dody Campbell, Pro-vencal, LA, Alicia St. John, Chris St. John, Jackson, MI, Perry Giles, Waxahachie, TX, Mike McBride, Greeley, CO, Brent Holt, Tom Oglesby, Keystone Memorials, Inc. James Oglesby, Bicknell Supply Company, Melissa Bell, Josh Bell, Ruth Bell, Beloit, KS, Leslie Turpin, Bicknell Supply Company, Emily Gaunce, Carlisle, KY, Bruce Bicknell, Bicknell Supply Company, Brent Gaunce, Carlisle, KY, Michael Hughes, Bicknell Supply Company, Tony Watson, College Station, TX. Penny McGuire, Martin, KY, Bill Fox, Billy Fox, Henry and Henry, Inc., Derwin Merion, Brenda Merion, Bev McGuire, Martin, KY. Larry Bessinger, Jeff Poirier, Evan Stores, Miles Supply Company, Scott Johnson, Fort Dodge, IA, Mark Crook, Miles Supply of Elberton, Ruth Bell, Beloit, KS, Mike Murphree, Camden, AR, Ron-nie Brown, Miles Supply of Elberton. New England Monument Dealers Association February 28- March 2, 2013 Groton, Conn. The wholesalers and retailers attending the New England Monument Dealers Association an-nual convention were extremely lucky to have missed a huge snow storm just prior to the con-vention and then one that came in just following the convention, but the weather was very nice during this year’s event. NEMDA President, Matt Harris did an excellent job coordinating speakers, meals and entertainment all the while making sure everyone had a good visit to Groton, CT. The Mystic Marriott Hotel was a great venue to hold the convention. Lisa Alexandropoulos, Portsmouth, NH, Steve Skeba, Star Granite & Bronze. Dave and Nancy Calkins, Lowell, MA, Dave DeFelice, Keystone Memorials, Inc.,, Phil Costanzo, Norwich, CT, Aimee Farnum, Keystone Memorials, Inc., Laurel Doggett, Norwich, CT. Because of our error in the last issue of the Graniteer Magazine, we would like to reprint the following photo with the correct names. We apologize for the mistakes! Florida Monument Builders Association Standing: Ann Helm, Chance Helm and Tyler Helm, Bradenton, FL, Marcus and Angie Bonds and their children Branson, Lexi, and Mason (kneeling), Machana and Jonathan Rhodes, Kay Rhodes, all of Quality Monument Sales, Inc., Jim Tramonte, Ocoee, FL, Darin and Kathy MacNeill, Sebring, FL. Kneeling: Kevin Cantrell, Palm Harbor, FL, Powell Helm, Bradenton, FL.