Photo by Eric Johnson Jeff Anderson stands beside monuments he designed

As a fourth-generation stone carver and as the current owner of Anderson Memorials Inc. – which dates back to the 1870s – Jeff Anderson said his job is one of the few jobs around where every day is different.

Some days he might work on an individual commemorative monument; others he might work on a larger veterans monument.

And contrary to what might be believed, he says his job at a memorial business is anything but depressing; in fact, he said it's quite the opposite.

He said the goal at his business is to help people – many of whom have been consumed with the trauma and sorrow of death. He helps them look back on the happiness of their loved one's life.

"That's what our product is – it's a remembrance," he said. "The funeral only lasts a few days, but our products will stick around forever."

Whether he's dealing with granite, marble, glass, bronze or wood, he said he is usually making a monument for people he's never even met. So the challenge then becomes to make a product as if it were for his best friend.

"It's actually a very rewarding situation," Anderson said. "We have a goal that the memorials should be as unique as the people they represent. The things we do become landmarks."

He said the most satisfying part about his job is seeing families who are pleased with his designs and who express to him how much that memorial correctly represented their deceased loved one.

In addition to individual and family monuments, he also helps design and build many of the area's major memorials, including the ones at the Mower County Veterans Memorial in Austin, the Soldiers Field Veterans Memorial in Rochester, the Northfield Area Veterans Memorial in Northfield and the Serenity of Life Sculpture in Lakeville, along with several others.

These bigger projects cost several hundred thousand dollars and take years of time to complete, he said.
Most recently, he has won top awards for his Northfield Area Veterans Memorial and the Soldiers Field Veterans Memorial.

The Northfield memorial includes three spires of staggered heights that represent the three stages of American military history, which include efforts to gain American freedom, struggles to maintain national unity and freedom of all citizens, and efforts to defend and protect the freedom of others. Also at the memorial, six vertical stone tablets pay tribute to each of the six branches of the U.S. military and recognize those who have given their lives in times of war.
In addition, there is a statue of a soldier marching home who is haunted by the memories of war.

During most of the projects, such as in this memorial, Anderson said he helps with the conceptual work for the monuments, and then he passes them off to other artists to make a larger version of that concept.

The business keeps in contact with hundreds of artisans and craftsmen from all over because of the many different styles that each employs, he said.

During the course of a year, Anderson Memorials makes between 4,000 and 5,000 pieces. This includes all of the preliminary design work, enlargement of the design, sculptural work and engravings.

Because the business philosophy is to make a product that will last forever, even the materials they use are chosen for their eternal properties, he said.

During his time in the profession, Anderson has been recognized by the American Institute of Commemorative Art, the Monument Builders of North America and the National Sculpture Society.

He graduated with an associate's degree in business administration from Rochester Community College, a bachelor's degree in industrial education, engineering and technology from Brigham Young University and a graduate studies degree in commercial art, sculpture and design from Winona State and the University of Minnesota.

Although Anderson Memorials currently has offices in Austin, Owatonna and Rochester, Anderson said he usually splits his time between the Austin and Rochester offices.

Anderson Memorials Inc. can be found in Austin at 106 Fourth St. SW and in Rochester at 2843 S. Broadway.