Ray Dowdy is a retired Master Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. As part of our
professional duties, we listened to Mr. Dowdy, and we assisted him to develop a vision of
a memorial that would express his life story.
Mr. Dowdy wanted a photo of he and his second wife, Callie Hunter Fletcher Dowdy,
installed on his monument. Mrs. Dowdy was resolute that she wanted a heart as a
manifestation of the love she has for Mr. Dowdy. We used one of the finest porcelain
manufacturers to provide a 5x7 horizontal color picture in the oval format. Our porcelains
have a metal backing and ultraviolet protection with a fade-resistant guarantee.
The area within the heart, as well as the area inside the wedding bands, was
“frosted,” a technique in which we used sandblasting to remove the polish in the
area of the heart. This monument is polished on both the front and the back, known as
“P2” in the granite industry.
The Dowdy Memorial was built using a traditional serpentine top. The tablet was 22 inches
long, 8 inches wide and 28 inches tall. It was polished on the front and back, with the
top and sides balance rock pitched. The base was 34 inches long, 14 inches wide, and 8
inches tall, with a polished flat top and balanced rock pitch that matches the companion
monument purchased by Mrs. Dowdy during her previous marriage.
This was a case where our clients wanted to match a preexisting family memorial, so in
shape, color, and style, we attempted to match the earlier memorial. Had we not been
seeking to match a preexisting memorial, we would have had a fuller range of options.
On the reverse of Mr. Dowdy’s memorial, we highlighted his branch of service with a
U.S. Air Force seal and dates of military service. Mr. Dowdy also wanted to include the
names of his children, so we framed the names of his four children on the bottom of the
reverse side of his headstone.
We included a panel on the rear of the monument for the family name, with 3 inch letters.
Due to the large amount of data, and the limited space, it was necessary for us to use
small lettering on the reverse side. Black lithichrome was used to accentuate the military
seal and to enhance the visibility of the small letters.
The Dowdy installation was unusually difficult, due to the original installation of a
companion memorial in the same family plot. Mr. Dowdy, as the second husband of Mrs.
Dowdy, desired to be buried next to his wife. Since Mrs. Dowdy had been previously
married, and she would be buried next to her first husband; a banner that identified Mr.
Dowdy as the second husband of Mrs. Dowdy was used.
Heavy equipment and hard work was required as part of this set up. Numerous tools and a
wide range of equipment were used. The expensive crane and heavy duty granite saw,
supported by low tech tools such as the rake, sledgehammer, level, shovel, trowel, and
straight edge, were used as necessary tools.
Notably, we used our own water as part of the proper preparation of the foundation. We are
always careful not to use water from cemeteries as rust is common in cemetery lines, and
rust will stain granite.
Both the new monument and the preexisting monument had serpentine tops, and both were made
from the highest quality, blue-gray granite.
Unfortunately, the original memorial was installed on top of the coping, instead of
inside, as we would recommend. Consequently, we were required to saw the coping for an
installation in line with the original companion memorial. We broke through the concrete
in front of Mr. Dowdy’s memorial to add to the preexisting foundation for long-term
peace of mind.
Upon completion, new concrete was poured to once again seal the granite. Rock was raked
over the patchwork to return the site to its original beauty. Both the new monument and
the preexisting monument were scrubbed.
This was a modest monument, made challenging by the preexisting work that complicated the
project and limited the overall design and dimensions of the product. We left the site
even more attractive with a new memorial that we hope will not need to be used for many
years to come.
Look at the enclosed photos and decide for yourself on the satisfaction of our clients.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Ray Dowdy are standing behind Mr. Dowdy’s freshly washed memorial
and their broad smiles say it all; they are very happy knowing that their wishes were
fulfilled by a preneed memorial. In the end, both Mr. and Mrs. Dowdy were tremendously
pleased that the previous and new memorials were harmonious in appearance and style.
Ray Dowdy is a retired Master Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. As part of our
professional duties, we listened to Mr. Dowdy, and we assisted him to develop a vision of
a memorial that would express his life story.