Rome Monument is a fourth-generation company creating personalized memorials for families in Western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and northern West Virginia.

The company was founded by Michael Dioguardi, a stone craftsman from Italy who immigrated to Rochester in 1930 and started his own monument firm four years later.

Current owners are Vince and Christy Dioguardi and Diane and William Hapach Jr., all of whom work at one of the facilities.

Specializing in cemetery, civic and cremation memorials, the company employs no commissioned salespeople. All carving and lettering is done by certified master carvers in the company’s 30,000-square-foot manufacturing space in Monaca.

In 2013, Rome Monument was proud to coordinate the design, placement and engraving of the Tuskegee Airmen Monument in Sewickley Cemetery.

Dedicated in September, it is the largest outdoor memorial in the country honoring the first African-American military pilots and support staff who were members of the 332nd Fighter Group, nicknamed the “Red Tails.” Almost 100 members of the World War II unit were from Western Pennsylvania, and their names are carved on two of the four granite monuments that make up the memorial.

The other two monuments contain the history of the elite military group and one, a 10-foot-high piece, features an airplane tail sculpted from red granite, representing the origin of the unit’s nickname.

MemoryLinks was recently added to Rome’s product line. Providing life stories for future generations, the service includes a Quick Response (QR) code that is weatherproof and can be attached to any material — monuments, mausoleums, cremation niches, memorial benches and bronze memorials.

The QR code is scanned with a smartphone, and information about the deceased’s life is accessible to anyone. The family can upload unlimited photographs and videos, biographical information and a family tree, choosing what they would want others to see.

Additions and changes to the viewable information can be made at any time and free technical assistance is available.

Rome Monument showrooms are at 300 West Park St., Rochester; 6103 University Blvd., Moon Township; 519 Perry Highway, Zelienople; 602 Evans City Road, Suite 106, Butler; 2145 Brighton Road, Pittsburgh; 629 Lincoln Highway, North Versailles Township; 5505 Center Ave., Pittsburgh; and 3060 Washington Pike, Bridgeville.

All monuments and cremation memorials are inside the showrooms.

For information, call 724-601-6221, or visit www.romemonuments.com

This article was submitted by Rome Monument.