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Generations team up to keep Norway Granite in community

Business Spotlight

By MARGUERITE LANTHIER, Staff writer 5 min read

NORWAY -- Before Kay Steinbrecher purchased Norway Granite and Marble Works in 1986, the business had operated for a number of years at the same site.

Her granddaughter, Haley Steinbrecher, joined the company about four years ago and plans to take over when Kay eventually retires. Haley went to college and did hair but decided to work with her grandmother because she didn't want the business to close.

"I'm learning all the tricks of the trade I can. There's lots of them," Haley said. "I would rather try to do my best to keep it here for as long as we can. And it's a joy to work with my grandmother."

Kay does intend to remain at the job as long as she can, because she really enjoys it. "It's been so much a part of my life, for so long," she said.

Kay took over the business with her ex-husband. Both worked other jobs but wanted to do something together. Kay has learned everything about the job hands on, and when they started it was really hands on -- they did everything by hand. In the old days, Kay used a projector to project a design on the wall and she would climb a step ladder to trace the design for the headstones. They would travel out to cemeteries to make rubbings of markers so they could get the design correct.

"The things you had to do before computers --everything was done by hand, cut by hand, everything," Kay said. "… People laugh when they hear that. But that's how you had to do things back then."

They added computers in the early 1990s and it has not only made the work easier but also record keeping. They can look back in records to see how a family headstone looks and the lettering style used.

"We just decided, 'Hey, this is getting to be overwhelming. We got to do something to be more productive.' So, that's about when we started with computers. And it was all new to us, too, but it made such a difference. And now we have all the records. If we have to match something for someone, we just look it up in the computer and don't have to run to the cemetery and measure," Kay said.

Kay designs the stone and makes the stencil, then staff sandblast the design in a special room and deliver and set up the headstone. Haley is learning how to use the computers but mainly she takes care of the office.

They have seen many changes in the industry. People are asking for unusually shaped headstones. Haley said recently someone called asking about a martini glass-shaped headstone. Technology and AI have given people more freedom with designs. People can have photos added and intricate designs etched into the stone.

"We've been having a lot of AI imaging come in, which is good for the visual aspect, but sometimes everything you see in the AI doesn't translate the same way," Haley said. "With the computer there's a lot more flexibility. There are more stones that can hold cremains, instead of burying them in the ground and more cremains in general."

Once they have the design marked, it is sandblasted into the stone in a special room. They can create any design, but for etching, they have to send the stone out. They have plans in the future to add more equipment, but they are limited in space at their current location. Last year they added a piece of equipment to make it easier to move and place the stones.

The both enjoy working with the public.

"The best part of the job is meeting so many nice people. They're so grateful that you can help them, and that makes me feel good that I can help them in a sad time. And I'm proud of what we put out, so that makes a big difference. And that's why I try my best for each stone and I don't care if it's this size or giant size. I just want them all to look perfect," Kay said.

"Pretty much the same thing, meeting all the different people from our community and just getting to talk with them a little bit," Haley said. "You get to learn some interesting stories or tidbits about the person when they're trying to think of something to represent them."

In addition to Kay and Haley, Norway Granite also employs Scott Marks -- who has been with the business almost as long as Kay -- and Issac Erickson. They have an office in Hancock as well that is run by Terry Wiitanen.

The office at N1441 Forest Drive is open year-round 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and also by appointment. They can be reached at 906-563-5852 or through their website at norwaygraniteandmarble.com.

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Marguerite Lanthier can be reached at 906-774-3500, ext. 85242, or mlanthier@ironmountaindailynews.com.

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