Pierrôt

Granite monuments incorporate unique features

NB Telegraph-Journal | Local Economy
References adjusted from the published version on page C1/C2 on June 15, 2004

LOCAL BUSINESS
Granite monuments incorporate unique features
by KHALID MALIK
Developments


Pierre Lemieux hadn't gotten over the shock of his mother's death in 1989 when he was confronted with another problem.

His mother, Juliette, had been afraid of the dark and did not want her ashes buried. So Mr. Lemieux had to come up with a way of storing ashes that would please her spirit. Placing them in an urn and burying them or storing them in a vault were not options.

It took Mr. Lemieux, a freelancer in public relations by profession, six months to design the special monuments that he calls tall urns, and says allows eternal light to shine on cremated remains.

The granite monuments stand about the height of an average person. They are cut in two pieces at about shoulder height, and a hole is then drilled in the centre of both pieces. Ashes are then put in a glass cylinder which slides into the hole in the centre.

But before the top piece of granite is put back on, two glass shelves are inserted, creating about five centimetres of space that allows natural light to shine on the ashes. The device can be modified to contain the ashes of two or more people.

Mr. Lemieux's sister, Josette, liked the design so much that she wanted her ashes preserved the same way. So when she died in 1998, he placed her ashes in a new monument next to his mother's.

She could also have been placed in the same monument. Mr. Lemieux said in a double urn design, the ashes of his mother and sister would "visually communicate" with each other.

In 2002, he incorporated his Saint John company, Granite Pierrejlx, which specializes in creative monument designs.

Mr. Lemieux said he has "artistic copyright" on the design. He was able to obtain a copyright because the monuments are considered sculptures. And once he sells 50, he will be able to get it patented as an industrial design as well.

"Eventually, I would like to put a granite plant in Saint John," he said.

At present, Mr. Lemieux has access to Nelson’s Monuments showrooms in Moncton and at 224 Westmorland Road in Saint John, and has them built at the Nelson Monuments plant in Sussex. See granitepierrrejlx for details. Or call 418 737 4871 or (506) 639-4895 .