IDEA LEADS TO NEW PATENT, NEW BUSINESS

DEXTER -- Gone but not forgotten is the premise of a decidedly unique Dexter business.

Susan McNeely-Ellenbracht's idea has led to a patent which she hopes will attract a portion of the $24 billion spent each year in the pet industry to her new business Everlasting Memories.

When Ellenbracht hit on the idea of mixing a pet animal's ashes into porcelain or ceramic to create that animal's likeness, she immediately applied for a patent.

"More than two years later, we got the patent," said the Michigan native, who has lived at Dexter the past decade. "We feel that the idea holds a promising future."

The Ellenbrachts Susan and husband, Michael have already arranged with a number of sub-contractors, from Cape Girardeau to Grand Rapids, Mich., to produce their creations for owners of deceased pets.

She explains how it works.

A pet owner who loses a pet is required to have the pet cremated, then submit the ashes, a picture, and description of the pet to Ellenbracht, who then subcontracts the work.

"These creations are works of art," said Ellenbracht. "Our subcontractors are talented sculptors and artists. People will have their choice of porcelain or ceramics."

Dove-Crete, 1241 S. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, has been named as one of the subcontractors.

"We look for special people for this operation," said Ellenbracht. "We need someone who works with molds, and we need an artist. Bob and Martha Nelson fit the bill."

The Nelsons formed Dove-Crete Company in 1989.

"We have created some of our own molds," said Nelson. "In our work with Everlasting Memories, we'll be using a photograph to create a ceramic mold."

Martha Nelson, who is an airbrush artist, will paint the figure.

The Nelsons recently completed their first project, a poodle, for Everlasting Memories.

Ellenbracht said the corporation would take any animal, from the smallest to the largest.

"Only this week we had an inquiry about a giraffe," she said.