Summer 2020 Welcome to 2020, the year that is becoming more than any of us bargained for. If asked a year ago, I don’t think any of us could have accurately predicted all of the issues we are facing right now. From civil unrest, to a pandemic, to murderous hornets, this year has been overwhelming to say the least. I hate to think about what could happen next, and truly, I am not sure I want to! As I watch the news stories from around the country, I am saddened by all that is affecting us as a human family right now. Whether it is the fear of the COVID-19 virus and the uncertainty that it brings, or the civil unrest in the name of justice which is gripping many of our cities throughout the country, it profoundly affects us all. Given that Elberton is more rural in nature and smaller in size, we can sometimes lose sight of how much is going on in the more populated areas of our nation. Yes, we are dealing with COVID-19 here, although not to the same extent as many other places. We are as well mindful of the injustices that still exist in society today, and the effects they extend into even a small town like Elberton. Since its inception, Elberton’s granite industry has been a melting pot of different cultures, and ethnicities. It is that mix of people who have made the granite industry in Elberton successful for all these years. Everyone working together side by side. Every different person brings a different skill set to the table, all with a common goal of working with our granite to produce beautiful monu-ments. Monuments that serve to not only memorialize some people or events, but also monuments that serve to educate about people or events. Monuments can keep our history alive as well as serve as a reminder to us all… not to repeat it. Yes, monuments have many purposes and each purpose varies for each one. The Elberton granite industry is in the business of building monuments, it is just what we do. For over 120 years the citizens of Elberton have been working together, building monuments. In all of its diversity, it comes together for a common goal, to take a block or slab of granite and turn it into a masterpiece of art. You can find Elberton granite monuments across this country standing for every man, woman and child that needs that memory or that lesson that each monument provides. May God bless you and your families as we all navigate these trying times in our history together. Elberton Granite Association’s Annual Meeting Was Held In June June of 2020 brought with it the annual EGA meeting. Things were just slightly different this year as America practiced social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic. Georgia mandates restricting groups of people were lifted to include up to 50 people just before the meeting. This meant that one person from each voting member-firm was invited to attend the meeting. Even with the restrictions as they were, the EGA members found a way to make the evening an enjoyable event of fellowship and fun as we discussed the last year of the association and all that it brought. We also voted for the new members to serve on the board. A special thanks goes to the board members departing, Marty King, Greg Ruff and Roger Wallace. EGA and its member firms welcome Mark Hill, Trudy King and Jake Smith. Former President George Oglesby, III of Keystone Memorials presented Outgoing President Roger Wallace of Wallace Granite Sales with a plaque of appreciation for his service to the EGA members. Executive Vice President, Chris Kubas spoke on the different events of the last year along with announcing the newest members to the EGA. Treasurer, Marty Walker of Walker Granite read the 2019 treasury report. President Roger Wallace of Wallace Granite Sales called the meeting to order and read the Annual Report of the President. He also held the election for the new trustees. Each year, the Association recognizes those men and women that have passed on since the last meeting. Matthew Pruitt read each name and a moment of silence was had in their memory. Harper’s Quarry Says Good-Bye To Long Time Employee, Larry Burton “Larry has been working with me for fifty-one years. During that time, all I had to do was tell him what I want and.... he does it.... to the absolute best of his ability.... he does it. During that time, we have never had a disagreement about anything. He is a fine man. I treated Larry the same as my children and anyone else. If I tell them to do something, I expect them to work and get it done. And he did. Best employee I have ever had.” Stated Horace Harper, Owner of Harper’s Quarry and Specialty Granite & Supply Larry Burton of Harper’s Quarry made the decision earlier this year to begin training someone else to take the helm of his position at Harper’s Quarry, Inc. Larry will be retiring later this year. He is a native of Elberton, Georgia. Larry stated that he has had time to train his replacement with the values and qualities that he wants to see continued for Mr. Harper and Harper’s Quarry, Inc. Larry began his career with Horace Harper in January of 1969 at the age of eighteen. He began working in the quarry running a gang saw until a position opened at Apex (owned by Horace Harper). At Apex, Larry began learning to run an Emery wire saw. He stayed there until 1976 when he moved back to the quarry and began running the diamond saw. He made sure to learn how to do other jobs around him as well so that he could be of use in the case it was needed. Larry felt that cross training was essential in his position. Larry stated “I have enjoyed what I have done and enjoyed working with the Harper family. Harper’s Quarry is a great family to work for”. Larry is planning on spending his retirement working around the house and take care of his wife and family. He will spend his spare time doing things he loves like fishing and bicycling. Mark Harper stated “He has been here longer than I have been alive and I don’t know life without him. I grew up with him always being there. I put all the trust in the world in Larry”. FALL 2020 MONUMENT RETAILERS COURSE CLASS OVERVIEW marketing strategies memorial craftsmanship marketing strategies monument design September 21-25, 2020 Keynote Speaker & Week-Long Mentor: Troy Caldwell, Certified Memorialist of Caldwell Monuments in Kokomo, Indiana Cost $300 Per Person Limit 2 people per company. Participants must be sponsored by one of our members. Lunch provided throughout the course. BE SURE TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT EARLY, ONLY 20 SEATS AVAILABLE! This course is designed for those who are new to the business and are looking for the best advice, tips and tricks from the experts. It will give you all the information you need to get your business started in the right direction, and to help you increase your productivity and sales. Cost: $300 Per Person. Limit 2 people per company and participants must be sponsored by one of our member-firms. Lunch will be provided throughout the course. Visit www.egaonline.com for more information or contact Matthew Pruitt at 706-283-2551 or mpruitt.ega@gmail.com Design Mart Sees Radical Shift To Cloud-Based Monument Design & Sales During Pandemic With the possibility of exposure to COVID-19 many monument retailers started working from home by designing and selling monuments with Design Mart’s new Online Monument Designer. Their new Designer is cloud-based, which means users can access their work anywhere at any time. Users do not have to be in front of a PC or CAD program in the office. They may work from home or anywhere else with an internet connection to create and customize monuments that can be sent to a customer for approval and exported to any CAD system for stencil cutting. All of a user’s work is saved in the cloud and can be opened and edited at any time. Virtually any device may be used including phones, phablets, iPads, tablets, laptops, and desktops. All major browsers are supported including Microsoft Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Opera. From your web browser users may create a full-color, CAD-ready file. A color JPG image may also be exported and pasted into contracts or emails. Design Mart provides helpful videos and a free 30-day trial of their Online Monument Designer & Catalogs at https://designmart.com/online-catalog-and-monument-designer/monumentdesigner/about-online-monument-designer/ . They will be happy to help you set up your trial and provide tech support and help by phone or online. You may reach Design Mart at dmart@designmart.com or call them toll-free at (800) 736-7455 if you have any questions or would like a live demo. Analytics Tell The Story Taking all data into consideration, it was clear the industry needed online systems and services during this pandemic, and Design Mart was glad to be able to pivot and focus on stability and reliability as their systems scaled with usage, affording all monument retailers and their customers 99.999% uptime with the same level of quality customer service and tech support as always. In so many words, during this pandemic Design Mart has seen the most users ever. They’ve seen these users come back more often than they ever have, and they’re staying longer and using more often than they ever did before. Analytics show that all visitors are digging their heels in, becoming more proficient in the use of Design Mart’s systems. That proficiency can be best understood as an evolution of user-type. Users are becoming advanced/master users of Design Mart’s systems and services out of necessity, and they’re staying because of convenience and ease of use. In the following graphs, varying time intervals have been selected to illustrate dramatic increases in online monument design, browsing, and searching during the pandemic. Visits, duration of those visits, page views, searches and other actions all saw dramatic increases at some time during March, April, and May. Majestic Granite Company Welcomes New Employee Majestic Granite Company welcomed a new employee in the end of June, 2020. Tashia Healan, began training at Majestic for the position of customer service representative. Tashia is new to the granite industry and is looking forward to all there is to learn. She stated she absolutely loves the job at Majestic. Tashia will be responsible for answering telephones and assisting customers with orders along with running errands for the office. The Elberton Granite Association would like to welcome Tashia as well. We wish you all the luck and happiness in your new career. Wilson Industrial Electric Completes Building Renovations Wilson Industrial Electric has spent almost the last two years under construction. They are excited to introduce the addition of their new facility. They began their construction September of 2018 as the team sat down and rallied behind the idea that they could improve their office space by adding a second story to their building. This new addition permitted the team to move to nice offices built into the floor plan and gave them enough space for a very elegantly designed store area with supplies and product. The walls are lined with galvanized sheet metal and wooden planks giving the entire interior an industrial look while still keeping a stylish flair in every detail. The stone used on the exterior of the building is from a customer in Wisconsin. Wilson’s new kitchen features a dark granite from a quarry in Georgia and the step treads are Bluestone treads from a customer in Pennsylvania. All of the metal used in the construction and design of the addition was fabricated at Wilson Industrial by their employees. Personal touches are seen in every area including the logo designed into the metal handrails at the top of the staircase. Included in the new layout are numerous new offices where the employees can now spread out and focus, a beautifully designed break room, a training room, a front showroom, male and female restrooms, right down to a room that serves as a lounge room when someone isn’t feeling well or a place for employees children, when they need to bring them to work. Wilson Industrial thought of everything. A customer appreciation open house will be scheduled later as restrictions for Covid-19 are lifted. It’s time again for EGA to begin preparing for the Annual Museum Foundation Golf Tournament. SPONSORSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE! Hole-In-One Contest • Closest To Pin • Longest Drive • Putting Contest Awards Ceremony & Buffet Sponsor • Platinum, Gold & Silver Sponsors Hole Sponsors • Gift Bag Sponsors Arrowhead Pointe Golf Course All proceeds of the Elberton Granite Association’s Annual Golf Tournament are used to benefit the renovation and upkeep of the Elberton Granite Museum. More details to come this summer. OCTOBER 16TH, 2020 Contact Matthew Pruitt at 706-283-2551 or mpruitt.ega@gmail.com for registration or more information on how you could help with sponsorship. The Elberton Granite Association Museum Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)3 entity. Downtown Display This Able Blue monument was created for former co-owner of Century Harmony Company, Patsy Tyler. Patsy was a loved member of the Elberton Granite Association. Patsy loved her employees like they were family and they were honored to create her memorial monument. Patsy’s memorial features a beautiful laser-etched photograph of her. The front, top and back are polished leaving rock pitched on the left and right sides. The base has a polished top with the remainder rock pitched. Century Harmony did a fabulous job designing and creating Patsy’s final memorial. River Edge Granite Company created this monument using EGA design cut file that is shape carved on the bottom of the tablet. The top of the tablet and wings are flat with a rounded scotia leading to the body of the pieces. The monument is all polished. The base features a two-inch polished margin with rock pitch on the remainder of the edges. As always, River Edge did a spectacular job! Blue Pearl Granite This beautiful monument was created by Pyramid Materials and displays such a wide array of textures and features. From the polished cross flanked by shape carved flowers, to the frosted panel surrounded by shell rock and scalloped edges. Pyramid did a phenomenal job with this intriguing monument. Chapel rose granite Childs & Childs Granite Company created this impressive monument from Caprice Blue granite. The front and back of this monument are polished with the sides and top are rock pitched. The top is cut with a check to give the sandblasted cross surrounded by shape carved roses an asymmetrical look. The base has a polished top and two-inch polished margin. The remainder of the sides are rock pitched. Quinn Floyd with AQ Stone Design Company collaborated with Childs & Childs on the design of this monument. Caprice blue granite This detailed monument was created by Southern Granite Company from Paradise Black granite. The top portion of this monument is all polished with bas relief cross design cut into it angling down through the steel finished lower portion. The two finishes are separated by a shape-carved rose design. Southern Granite Company used an EGA cut file design in the creation of this monument. Paradise black granite This uniquely shaped monument was created by Dixie Granite Company. The top heart is all polished and separated from the body of the tablet by a sandblasted line creating the bottom of the heart. The remainder of the tablet is all sawn with a heart shape cut out of it. The base has a 2-inch polished margin and top with the remainder balance rock pitched. Dixie blue granite This stately monument was created by Reliance Granite Company. The serptop monument features a check on each side and has all polished finish. The sub base has a polished top and is sawn on all the edges. Both the tablet and sub base sit atop a base with the balance rock pitched. This monument is a great representation of the great work done at Reliance Granite. Reliance blue granite On December 27th, of 2017, Elberton’s granite industry lost a fine man. He was a husband, a father, a grandfather, a friend, a colleague, a business owner, a boss and a pillar in the granite community. Jerry King who was co-owner of King’s Monument Company left his mark on many people in a very positive way. He was loved and respected by his family, friends and employees. Trudy King, wife and owner of King’s Monument Company, and their son Marty set to the task of designing a monument fit for Jerry. They spent hours designing this monument just the way they believe Jerry would have wanted it. Once the design was complete, the employees of King’s Monument Company went to work to bring the monument into reality. They took extra care in doing every aspect just right for Mr. Jerry as he always loved his employees like an extension of his own family. They wanted to show their love back to him in the making of this monument. The oversized cap has so many fine aspects starting with the hipped gable top that angles down to a reversed drop wash to give it a sharp angular appeal. Centered on the front of the cap is a round top dormer protruding from the apex with a beautiful shape carved rose carved into it. The tablet stands tall with beautifully elegant simplicity. It is all polished to a shine with a 32-inch by 10-inch recessed panel featuring the raised letters of the King’s family name. The panel is surrounded by a two-inch polished beveled edge. The back of the tablet is identical to the front. On each side of the tablet is a turned vase that stands 18-inches tall. The sub base features frosted panels contrasting the polished lines of scotia-style wash base. The second sub base is polished on top with a three-inch polished margin. The rest of the sub base is rock pitched on each side. The base is polished on top and rock pitched on the sides. River Edge Granite Company was responsible for setting the King monument. As always, they did a great job ensuring that the monument will stand tall and proud for generations and generations to come. “Mom and I wanted to produce a monument that would exemplify Dad’s legacy of manufacturing perfection. Every member of the King’s Monument team played a very important role in the production process. They wanted to make sure “Mr. Jerry” would be proud. Greg Ruff of River Edge Granite was very instrumental in the installation process. It seemed everyone who knew Dad wanted this to be special and express their thoughts for him” - Marty King Rib Mountain Granite Southern Mausoleums, A division of Keystone Memorials, Inc. has a reputation of excellence when it comes to the quality and craftsmanship of their mausoleums. This mausoleum is a fine example of the quality they work so hard to excel on. They made this custom designed mausoleum for Hope Haven Marble & Granite in Gonzales, Louisiana to replace an older version of one. The architectural design of this mausoleum is reminiscent of the Gothic Revival period where pointed arches and irregular shapes are typical. The front of the mausoleum features a large tablet on the left that stands approximately 9-feet and 10 inches tall from the ground. The top is cut into a Gothic style curve. The face has a recessed panel with a 1/2” check and 2” x 1” wash. The mausoleum’s door was polished with a frosted panel to include the sandblasted names and dates. An asymmetrical roof with rock pitched edges can be seen above the header and just under the cross. Different textures of the Keystone Blue granite were used to give the mausoleum depth and character. You can find steel and polished finishes along with rock pitch edges. This mausoleum can be found at Saint Peter Catholic Church Cemetery Reserve, St. John the Baptist Parish in Louisiana. Pyramid Materials, Inc. created this companion monument for Upshur Monuments in Buckhannon, West Virginia. The memorial consists of two crosses that were polished on the front and back with rock pitch along the sides and top. On the face of each there is a frosted panel for the loved one’s names and dates along with sandblasted lines in the shape of the cross and shape carved roses. The base features a polished bevel front with a two-inch rock pitched margin. The family name is sandblasted on the base. This monument can be found in Rock Cave Cemetery in Buckhannon, West Virginia. Pyramid Blue Granite This beautifully dynamic monument was created by Keystone Memorials, Inc. for Van Vickle Monuments in St. Joseph, Missouri. The Missouri Red cube is all polished with raised lettering in a recessed frame. The polished sub base features a 1 1/2” drop wash that elegantly leads to the base that it sits upon. The base has a smaller drop wash and a 2” polished margin with the remainder of the sides rock pitched. This monument can be found in Cummings Cemetery in Cummings, Kansas. Keystone Memorials, Inc. formed this monument from Keystone Blue granite for Hope Haven Marble & Granite in Gonzales, Louisiana. The tablets of this monument are polished on the front and back with rock pitch on all edges. Shape carved roses are sandblasted along the bottom of the frosted hearts along with a ribbon frame along the bottom. The pedestal is steel finished on all four sides while the vase and the blocks are polished on three sides with the balance rock pitched. The base is polished on the top with rock pitched sides. All of this sits atop a granite foundation that is sawn on top and bottom with rock pitched edges. This monument is located in Serenity Oaks Memorial Park in Prairieville, Louisiana. Dixie Granite Company created these stunning monuments for Hurley Funeral Home in Texas. The monuments were built to match the existing family memorials in the Odd Fellow Cemetery in Gonzales, Texas. Dixie Granite did an excellent job matching the monuments to perfection. Central Granite Company was given the honor of creating this intricately detailed monument for Summit Memorials in Akron, Ohio. This beautiful family monument can be found in Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana. The monument was made from Georgia Gray and is topped with a cap that features a raised cross carved onto the steel finished top of the cap. The edges are rock pitched and add a stunning separation between itself and the steel finished tablet. The tablet was created with a steel finish resting neatly between the rock pitched edges of the cap and the first top sub base. The all steeled middle sub base features an elegant curve of a scotia with a raised scroll to hold the family name. The family name was carved using block raised letters. The bottom sub base and the base were made with elegant drop washes leading to rock pitched edges. This monument shows such fine detail and excellent craftsmanship. The design shows different textures and contrast of the granite. Central Granite Company and their customer did a great job pulling this monument together! “Gaulden Monuments was privileged to work with the Harris family and we always count on strong relationships in the industry like with Eagle Granite Company to execute a quality memorial such as this design.” Daniel Gaulden Eagle Granite Company recreated this magnificent monument from the images of an older family monument for Gaulden Monument Company in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Harris family used their connections to design their own large coping lot. Gaulden Monuments took careful measurements and worked with Eagle Granite to lift designs from the original family monuments and coping. Eagle was able to recreate the details of the older family monument flawlessly. The intricate details in the scroll-work at the top of the monument wraps around each corner of the cap while checks run from one carving to the other circling the rounded top cap. The tablet features curved tapered ends with the family names sandblasted on both front and back. The sub base shows a beautiful scotia and check connecting the tablet to the base seamlessly. The base is topped with a dropwash and follows with straight ends. Coping was used to encompass the entire family plot. The family chose an oval top for the coping with checked or apex top on all of the corner posts. This created a finished look to the overall family plot. The Harris family has an eye for quality and chose specifically to have their monument designed, manufactured, carved and installed with American labor and materials. Blue Ridge Granite Keystone Memorials, Inc. recreated this 70th Infantry Division memorial for Columbus Monument Company here in Georgia in the form of a memorial erected in the District of Forbach in France on Spicheren Heights. Forbach was the location of a major victory of the 70th Infantry. This monument can be found on the Walk of Honor on Fort Benning, Georgia, just south of the National Infantry Museum parade ground. Consisting of three granite pieces, this monument stands as a proud reminder of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice from World War II through the War on Terrorism in Iraq. The front tablet and base are made from Keystone Blue granite while the back tablet is made from Galaxy Jet Black granite. The Keystone Blue tablet has a polished front with an oval top and concave ends to match raised carving of the 70th Infantry patch. The base of the monument is all polished with sandblasted verbiage on the front side. Jenson Etching was given the task of laser etching the names of the 70th Infantry Division “Trailblazers” who gave the ultimate sacrifice during World War II and the War on Terrorism. King’s Monument Company created this distinguished monument for Korb Monuments in Dubois, Pennsylvania. The monument is made from Wausau Red granite. The tablet is polished on the front, back and top and contrasted by rock pitch on both sides. The base features a polished top and polished bevel front with rock pitched nose and sides. This monument sits at the VFW post in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. Eagle Granite Company, Inc. created this magnificent Gold Star Monument for Brown Memorials in Florence, South Carolina. Monuments such as this are made for families who have lost family members in service to this country. The monument stands to let that family know that we will not forget their loved ones. It gives the family a place to go to connect with their lost heroes. The monument is polished on the front and back with laser etching on all pieces. The outside edges of each piece features rock pitching. The silhouette of a saluting soldier is cut into the edges of the two tallest tablets with a sawn finish. This monument is a fabulous representation of the quality work done at Eagle Granite, Inc. The monument can be found at Florence Veterans Park in Florence, South Carolina. Harper’s Quarry, Inc. manufactured an outstanding sign for their company this past October, 2019. The base of this stately sign is sawn on the top with rough cut edges cut from a slab. The two pedestals are all sawn blocks and have an 8-inch notch cut into each of them to hold the sandblasted tablet in place. The tablet is also all sawn and cut from a slab. This monument sits just outside of their business in Lexington, Georgia. Each piece was cut using their large water-cooled diamond tipped circular saw also known as an 11-6 saw in the granite industry. The monument was cut from Harper’s Quarry, Inc’s signature Enterprise Gray granite from their quarry. This granite sign perfectly represents a quarrying business with the combination of split face edges and sawn finishes. Harper’s Quarry did an outstanding job with this sign. Enterprise Gray Granite William Julius Reagin July 1, 1951 - July 26, 2019 Mr. William Julius Reagin, 68, of Millstone Church Rd., Carlton, GA passed away Friday, July 26, 2019. Mr. Reagin was born July 1, 1951 in Elberton, GA to William Astor Reagin and Annie Sue McCannon Reagin. He was of the Baptist faith and the retired former owner operator of Hardcash Granite Company, a former member of the Elberton Granite Association. He is survived by his children: Billy Reagin of Hartwell, GA, Danielle Reagin Rousey of Carlton, GA, step-daughter: Shannon Smith of Evansville, IN, his companion: Vivian Lunsford of Elberton, GA, siblings: Patricia Ann Collier of Atlanta, GA, Charles Reagin of Carlton, GA, Ray Reagin of Carlton, GA, Joyce Paul of Carlton, GA, Wilma King of Carlton, GA, and grandchildren: Ashton Rousey, Carter Rousey, Reagan Rousey, London Reagin, Layla Reagin, Alex Smith and Avery Smith. Funeral services to celebrate Julius’s life was held 2PM, Monday, July 29 in the Memorial Chapel of Berry Funeral Home with Rev. Tim Adams officiating. Interment followed in Carlton City Cemetery. Dolly Shaw Willis March 8, 1933 - September 8, 2019 Mrs. Dolly Jeannette Shaw Willis, 86, of Elberton, wife of 67 years to the late John Edwards Willis, passed away on Sunday, September 8, 2019, at Elbert Memorial Hospital. She was the daughter of the late Rubin R. Shaw and Ruby Robertson Shaw. She was preceded in death by her sisters: Fern S. Davis and Jeannette Shaw; her brother, Rubin Shaw Jr.; and her grandson, Matthew Evans. Dolly was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She served unselfishly in all kinds of tasks within her church. She was a wonderful baker and loved to read. She and John loved to travel to the mountains and did so often. Dolly went from running a fabric shop to helping John start and run Willis Granite Company, a former member of the Elberton Granite Association. She was intricate in all aspects of their business and in a pinch she didn’t mind getting her hands dirty helping to load trucks. Dolly’s greatest joy was spending time with her grandchildren. She never hesitated to drop what ever she was doing to play, cook, read and swing on the porch. Robert “Bob” Burrow, Jr. May 20, 1933 - September 23, 2019 Mr. Burrow was born on May 20, 1933 and passed away on Monday, September 23, 2019. Mr. Burrow retired as Sergeant First Class in the United States Army, during which time he also worked as a Federal and State Game Warden. A service to celebrate Mr. Burrow’s life was held on Friday, September 27, 2019 in The Chapel of Hicks Funeral Home, with Rev. Greg Jordan officiating. Interment was in Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery with Full Military Honors. Mr. Burrow owned Stinchcomb Granite Company, and was a former member of the Elberton Granite Association.