Glacier Monuments Information

Glacier Monuments is a community-minded business which began in 1980 when Orville and Carole Bealer purchased the former, Choteau Monuments. Although he had little experience when he started, his artistic abilities and skill as a sign painter made him a natural at creating personalized grave markers. He had approximately 15 minutes of training when he took over the business from the previouse owner. The rest was on-the-job training. His original artwork is still available for use on memorials today. When Orville died in 1995, Carole Bealer, his wife, took over the business. A waitress for 42 years, she felt she lacked skills needed to run a business. She considered selling it, but her son, Ron, stepped in to help her as general manager. In 2006 the business was acquired by a locally controlled Northern Montana Company. They continue the tradition that Orville started, creating "Special Memorials for Special People." Glacier Monuments makes simple memorials with just names and dates. However, their expertise is unique art work on memorials. It is something other monuement companies choose not to do. These special memorials are custom designed just as the customer wants. Glacier Monuments has a catalog full of designs already created which can be modified to suit any customers' needs. If someone wants something specific in mind, Glacier Monuments can design it, as well. Original artwork and photos can be scanned and incorporated into designs. Three dimensional sculpting into granite has been practiced by monuments companies for years. However, Orville perfected and taught a more elegant sculpting of artwork and the airbrush coloring on memorials that make the artwork "come alive". "If we do not have the artwork or design a customer wants, we sit them down with a designer in front of the computer and customer design the memorial. A design session usually lasts one or two hours, depending on the complexity of the design. "We also work with customers all over the world by communicating with them throught emails. ...