Memorial to Officer Brenton Unveiled With the Help of Ferguson Construction

Above and Below: The Leschi community dedicates the Officer Timothy Brenton Memorial on Oct. 31 2010 (Photos by Jon Reece General Manager Quiring Monuments Inc.).

A year ago Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton was gunned down as he sat in his patrol car in the Leschi neighborhood. On Sunday – the one-year anniversary of his death – the Leschi community with an assist from Ferguson Construction unveiled a memorial to the slain officer.

The memorial is built at the site of Brenton’s death on the parking strip on 29th Avenue north of its intersection with Yesler Way. It features a Norwegian blue-pearl granite stone shield with Brenton’s badge number (6699) that sits atop a strip of polished black granite. Radiating out from the badge are slats of flame-finished granite with words chosen by the Brenton family to describe him like brave and compassionate. Seattle-based Quiring Monuments donated 1200 pounds of granite and the labor to install the monument.

“I don’t have any personal connection to the neighborhood but something about the project resonated with me” said Gene Colin Ferguson’s CEO. “And knowing the difficulties the community group was going to run into getting it built on time I knew we could help them get through it.”

Gene heard about the project serendipitously – he was driving in his car listening to KIRO Radio’s “Ron and Don Show” which was featuring the Leschi neighborhood group’s desire to build the memorial. Gene called into the show offering any help his company could provide. Gene later connected with Robert Cipollone who helped lead the neighborhood committee that developed the memorial.

Although Gene offered to undertake the project entirely the neighborhood group wanted the project to be a grassroots effort. Gene agreed to standby with Ferguson willing to undertake whatever tasks were needed to get the memorial completed in a short time frame.

“Robert said the group was up against it and needed help with a key permit” Gene said. Todd Vacura Ferguson’s President and COO helped them get it. “Todd got all the drawings from Jeff Flood of Miller Hull Architects and went with the neighborhood group to walk through the process and got the permit in five hours.”

The crew then needed help demolishing the sidewalk and repouring it per city specs. “We helped with tools like jackhammers and a box for demo debris and we pulled guys off of other projects and got it done” Gene said. Ferguson then poured the concrete frame for the city-donated pavers. Democon and Hertz Rentals were among the firms assisting in the effort.

“Contractors should give back” said Gene. “To employees first the community second and the industry third. That’s our culture here at Ferguson. And this project provided an opportunity for us to help. We were happy to do it.”

Click here to listen to Gene participating in the Oct. 11 Ron and Don show; Gene comes on at the 27:50 mark.