Brown Memorial: Five Generations of Excellence

(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. 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

mix to allow the drafting department to create more unique designs more quickly.” Claudia and Pat Brown, contributed equally to the company. Claudia was the first female president of the AICA. Pat was an innovator of contemporary product lines and one of the first to import directly from quarries overseas. “I started working in the business at about 12 years old. I was able to assist in the fabrication studio by helping apply stencil (a special rubber used in carving monuments) as well as working the automatic sandblaster,” Will Brown said. “I was also able to go with our install crew to help assist with foundations and loading and unloading our delivery trucks. In high school I assisted with the bookkeeping as well as art department that cuts the stencil that is then sandblasted. I was very fortunate while growing up to see how the entire business operates.” Brown started working at the family business full time after graduating from University of South Carolina in 2016. He began then as assistant to his father, Pat Brown. Oswalt spent time at the business and attended industry conferences growing up. “I briefly apprenticed under my grandfather in my early 20s,” Oswalt said. “He was a great designer, and I wish I would have taken advantage of that time with him more. When I got serious and joined the company full time, he was in no condition to be able to mentor or teach. My primary focus since joining the company has been design. Thankfully, before he passed, he was able to see some of my creative designs, which I know brought him joy.” One project those in the Florence area may recognize involves the Florence Veterans Park. There are 16 monuments within the park Brown Memorials created and installed. “The Florence Veterans Park is a special place,” Oswalt said. “Our company has had a hand in most aspects and additions to the park. The US Army monument, The US Air Force monument, and The Vietnam Veterans monument are three projects that I designed, built and mean a lot. The Army monument in the Florence Veterans Park was done the first few years of Will Brown working full time: “(It was) the first larger project that I helped assist with. It took many hours to complete and was a more difficult install than most and I was able to be a part of the whole process.” The fifth generation knows its roots and continues to grow the business. “We made no major changes until 2018 when we moved our order system partially online and then when Bran and myself took over the business in 2020 we moved it fully online,” Brown said. “The biggest change that can be seen from a customer point of view is that we produce a scale full color rendering of every monument we produce and allow them to review and approve it before moving it into production. This allows the family to see what it will look like and adjust so it will be perfect when it is carved in stone permanently.” The focus for the company remains in the Carolinas. Their work, however, can be found on the West Coast, as well. “We have recently begun traveling further distances and in the past six months have done work in both Asheville, North Carolina, and Richmond, Virginia, and have others that are currently in production going to Georgia and Pennsylvania. “Bran and I are both extremely blessed to grow up around a business such as Brown Memorials and the willingness of our parents to teach us has been invaluable,” Brown said. “However, our team of office staff, artists, stone carvers, and installation crew is really what makes Brown Memorials the best at what we do. They work tirelessly and meticulously to ensure that every customer is satisfied and that they did everything in their power to produce a memorial that exceeds industry standards. Brown Memorials has been blessed over the past 114 years to serve the greater Pee Dee area and we look forward to another 100 years to continue serving.”

BROWN MEMORIALS 2423 David McLeod Blvd - Florence info@brownmemorials.com (843) 662 - 6378