KAPAIA Kaua‘i that — Silva’s Memorials — among less than a handful of companies on produce headstones and urn houses — officially changed hands last week.
At their business storefront on Kuhio Highway in Kapaia, John and Pamela Silva officially handed over a business they started some eight years ago, to Dale and Patti Kascht, operators of Gateway Memorials, located in Winton, Calif.
The Silvas sold the Kaua‘i business and another memorial service business in Antioch, Calif., to the Kaschts in November 2004.
The Kaschts will continue to operate from their headquarters in Winton, Calif., and have retained Paul Iwai of Kaua‘i manage the Kapaia branch.
Dale Kascht said he has been in the granite business since 1981, and as the new operator of the Kapaia business with his wife will “offer quality along with timely delivery of products.”
The Kapaia business makes headstones, mausoleums, urban houses and bronze plates. Iwai said the company may be the largest of its kind on the island.
Dale Kascht said Kaua‘i customers may call 245-8743 or 742-8895. A Web site also will be created soon, he said.
Before Silva handed over his business to the new operators, he briefly played the ‘ukulele and sang.
Silva’s involvement with the memorial-service business goes back more than 50 years.
Silva started his first memorial-service business in Hayward, Calif., following the Korean Conflict in 1953, and during his career expanded his business to Vallejo and Antioch, Calif., and finally to Kaua‘i. He and his wife started the Kaua‘i business around 1996.
Lester Chang, staff writer, 245-3681 (ext. 225) or lchang@pulitzer.net.
