"In loving memory" is the sentiment inscribed on thousands of memorials. The grief of losing a loved one is complex and painful. A custom monument sets apart from the common serpentine tops that minimize the uniqueness of a life now gone, but not forgotten. It's easy to locate a contemporary memorial from the traditional serpentine top that was introduced in the 1930's. Designing a personalized monument begins with a preliminary presentation drawing based on information and ideas from the closest family member or friend. Many times, a rough drawing from the customer helps to direct the designer in creating a meaningful memorial that provides comfort when visiting the resting place of a loved one.
The COOK monubench was designed in collaboration with Holyrood Cemetery's sales manager, using the customer's idea and Bill Cantelon's artistic layout; designed in Bahama Blue granite and fabricated from GEM granites of India.
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About Bill Cantelon
William “Bill” Cantelon is an award-winning designer and seasoned memorialist with expertise in every aspect of commemorative art, from concepting to sandblasting. Following his service in the U.S. Army, Bill got his start in monument stonecraft in the 1970s as an apprentice at Fussner Monuments in Bellingham, Washington. There he picked up the basic skills of the trade, including sandblasting, layout, and cutting stencil. In 1979 he joined Quiring Monuments in Seattle as its seventh employee, where he worked in the shop for five years before moving to sales, then design. Given wide berth to exercise his creativity, Bill quickly found he had an eye for design, as well as an empathetic ear for the grieving. Listening carefully to customers as they recounted memories of their loved ones, he thoughtfully created meaningful stonework that uniquely honored their legacy. Bill took special interest in pieces that combined an upright monument with a bench. While monument-bench combinations were not a new concept, they tended to be simple and plain. He applied fresh thinking, trading in standard lines for tapered curves, stained glass inlays, and integrated sculpture work. In 1993, Bill coined the term “monubench,” which quickly caught on throughout the industry. Bill earned multiple awards and accolades over the years, including First Place in the 1996 Expert Division Marker Category by the Monument Builders of North America, as well as the 1997 Eugene H. Faehnle Award by the American Institute of Commemorative Art . His design for the latter was later brought to fruition as the Korean peace memorial at Holyrood Cemetery in Seattle. Having spent more than three decades with Quiring, Bill retired in 2012. In 2024 he returned to work as an independent memorialist with the launch of Cantelon Design, where he continues to apply his creativity and craftsmanship to create truly unique memories in stone. |
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