BUSINESS
(l to r): Will Brown, Terry Brown, Pat Brown, Claudia Brown-Grossman, Bran Oswalt
FIVE GENERATIONS OF EXCELLENCE story by Kim Brauss
“I began learning about Brown Memorials as long ago as I can remember,” Will Brown said. “Brown Memorials was founded in 1908 by my great-great-grandfather John Francis Brown.” After over a century of creating and designing memorials, most any Florentine has seen the fine craftmanship of Brown Memorials. And as the company solidified its presence throughout the years, the fifth generation -- Will Brown and Bran Oswalt -- is now running the business. Early on, the company established a reputation for crafting a grade of memorial that few others could match, Bran Oswalt said, making them one of the most desirable monument builders in the Southeast. “Our studio on David McLeod Boulevard has a modern architectural staircase,” Bran Oswalt said. “When I was young, the staircase was a jungle gym to me. I would hang upside down, and climb below them like monkey bars. I also remember being hoisted into the air by our shop crane. A stone shop can be a pretty fun place as a child.” “The office was really like a second home especially when I was in elementary school,” Will Brown said. “I would come here many days after school and assist or watch everyone working while doing my homework. 16
VIPMagSC.com
June 2022
In the early 20th century, most memorials were made of marble and had hand-chiseled letters. John Francis Brown’s son, Claude Brown, moved the business to Florence in the 1920s to make use of the railroad and began purchasing whole blocks of granite to produce into monuments. This is when sandblast was first starting to be used widely in memorial making and they would keep a fire going with liquid rubber to pour over the monuments and hand cut the letters and carving for sandblast, Brown said. Each generation has left their mark – not only on the family business but also in the North American monument industry. Claude Brown was a founding member of the industry’s most prestigious group, The American Institute of Commemorative Art (AICA). “Claude’s son Bill Brown, my grandfather, was a leader in the industry when it came to design and innovation and was a founding member of many organizations that promoted fine memorial work and design,” Will Brown said. Bill Brown served as president of the AICA and the industry’s largest group, The Monument Builders of North America (MBNA). “My father, Pat Brown,” Will Brown said, “And his sister, Claudia Brown, both introduced computers to the
