Paul PINE was born September 1, 1947 at Diagonal, Iowa, the son of Eugene and Arlis (PETTY) PINE. Paul suffered from asthma and lost weight every summr. Desperate to find a better climate for their son, the PINES took Paul and their other son Eddie to Colorado during the summer months. Here, he thrived and was able to spend most of the summer outdoors. The following year when he was 14-years-old, Paul returned to Colorado for the summer, boarding with Richard and Thelma ROBINSON of Boulder. Paul and the oldest ROBINSON son Dennis developed a life-long friendship. During that first summer with the ROBINSONS, Richard taught the boys how to build a stone fireplace.

Paul graduated from Diagonal High School in 1963, and the University of Iowa in 1967. After his graduation for UofI, Paul returned to Colorado where he remained throughout his adult life.

Paul worked for the Veterans Admininstration during the day and did masonry work part-time. Soon the demand for Paul's masonry work caused him to switch careers. He moved to Evergreen, Colorado in 1977 and established a masonry company.

With a turn in the economy, Paul went to Prescott, Arizona, intending to join his cousin Dwayne PINE in the real estate. Here, Paul met Pam DOWNS who was from Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

Paul and Pam returned to Colorado in the Spring of 1988 and were married March 5, 1989. Their son Jesse was born May 19, 1990.

Paul and Pam founded Pine's Stone Company, Inc. in the Winter of 1988-89. By 1995, the company reached a milestone of over 1 million in gross sales and the sales of 15,200 tons of stone. Over the next decade, the company grew to over 10 million in gross sales and the sales of 23,934 tons of stone. In 1998, the company received The Architectural Merit Award for Design. One of the most elaborate projects Pine's Stone Company was involved with was the restoration of the 150-year-old Trinity Methodist Church of Denver in 2001.

Prior to his marriage, Paul was diagonosed with a serious heart condition. He had a heart transplant in the Fall of 2004. The surgery went well until Paul's condition became critical and he was unable to go home. Despite his brave and valiant fight, Paul passed away at the age of 57 years on Monday, May 23, 2005. He was interred at Rosebud Cemetery, Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

Pam continued on with the company and is the president.

Pine's Stone Company in Glenwood Springs, Colorado has been supplying wholesale building stone throughout Colorado and the U.S. since 1988. The company is noted for its ability to find exactly the right stone required for each job, in some cases matching stone originally installed many years ago.

In addition, the company owns the Oklahoma Quarry that is the exclusive producer of Farmers Rock and the Vesta, Arkansas Quarry that produces pioneer flagstone.

Pine's Stone Company prides itself in giving back to the community by annually contributing to many organizations throughout the Roaring Fork Valley.

Owner and co-founder, Pam PINE is a regular volunteer at Youth Zone and in loving memory of her late husband, Paul PINE, the company employees are honored to contribute to the program on an annual basis.

NOTE: Paul PINE died at the age of 57 years on Monday, May 23, 2005. He was interred at Rosebud Cemetery, Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

SOURCE: FETTY, Jack. Rings of Gold Pp. 89-95. Palindrome Pub. Co. Iowa. 2007.

Photograph of Trinity United Methodist Church by Nyttend, March of 2009

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2010