As Ralph A. Rose sat at his desk, and later walked around the showroom at Wright Monumental Works with his daughter, Kelly Rose Platko, he could describe many details involved with the 107-year-old business.

Kelly Platko, and her husband, Mark, who have been co-owners of the company with Ralph since 2020, recently became more involved as memorialists with the business at 212 East Main St. in Bradford. She noted that over the past few months she has worked full time at the company helping with sales, management and other needs. The co-ownership makes her the third generation of family with the company. Mark and Kelly Platko recently attended the Monument Builders of North America convention in Baltimore Md. Jan. 13 to Jan. 15.

Their daughter, Cassy Platko, is also involved with Wright Monumental, bringing the fourth generation in the business. Kelly Platko said another asset of the business is Barbara Steinhauer, office manager, who has been with the company for 20 years.

“We are pleased with her expertise. She is very knowledgeable and helpful with our customers in their time of need for assistance in purchasing a lifetime memorial,” Platko said of Steinhauer.

Another integral employee with the business, however, is Ralph Rose.

“Dad has been teaching us everything he knows from 70 years of experience,” Platko explained while smiling at her father. Our tag line continues to be, ‘Love Written in Stone for people who matter by people who care.’”

The company’s history began in 1915 at its current site when the late Charles Wright established the business in the former Tuna Valley Milk Company building. Ralph’s father, the late Philip M. Rose, became owner of the business in 1940. Ralph Rose, his brother Philip Jr. and sister Dolores Myers purchased Wright Monumental from their father in 1987.

Through the years, the family extended its operations with several branches throughout the region, serving a 150-mile radius. For example, Ralph Rose’s daughter and son-in-law, Kim and Steve Lundsten, are owners of Wright Monumental Works, Inc. and Jensen Haglund Memorials, both located in Jamestown, N.Y., having purchased it from their uncle, Philip Rose Jr. Cassy Platko became the owner/manager of the McKean Memorial Park Cemetery in Lafayette Township in March of 2021.

Ralph Rose, Kelly and Cassy Platko, and Steinhauer, are all members of the board of directors for the Oak Hill Cemetery Association in Bradford.

Services and materials provided by the company include monuments, mausoleums, bronze memorials, pet stones, garden sculptures, benches, recognition pieces, stone cutting and finishing, plus memorial designs and art work. In addition, the company does granite countertops for kitchens. Sources of pride for Wright Monumental include the large granite entrance signs at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford the company created close to 20 years ago. In addition, the black granite flame at the Zippo/Case Museum & Flagship Store in memory and in honor of the owners is one they are very proud of.

Granites used for their memorials are cut from quarries around the world. The company provides in-house carving and hand etching for designs on monuments.

Rose believes that two reasons for the success of the company have been its employees, past and present, and their friends. In particular, he is grateful and humbled by their friends throughout the area who have supported the business throughout the years.

He said the rewards of the business stem from satisfying the needs of families and institutions, as well as work provided for churches and hospitals. For example, a recent letter summed this up with the following remarks with approval of quotation by Fred Fesenmyer:

“Thanks so much for your business and thoughts on Loni’s passing. You have been so gracious, sympathetic and compassionate in my time of grief and need … Also, how professional and courteous your crew was at the committal ceremony. Great job!”

Rose said he was touched by the letter and others like it from his customers and friends.

“That really means a lot to us,” he concluded.