A new memorial now stands at the IBEW 1245 union hall, honoring our members who lost their lives on the job.
Installed on Sept. 14, the more than 1,200-pound bronze sculpture depicts a lineman atop an approximately 18-foot utility pole and will serve as a permanent tribute to IBEW 1245 brothers who made the ultimate sacrifice.
“This memorial is a reminder of the risks our members face every day and of the brothers we have lost doing this work,” said IBEW 1245 Business Manager Bob Dean. “Their sacrifice will never be forgotten and they will always be part of the IBEW 1245 family.”
Created by artist Ron Moore and cast by Schaefer Art Bronze, the sculpture is made almost entirely of bronze and was produced using a traditional lost-wax casting process.
Michael Fink of Schaefer Art Bronze explained that a rubber mold is first made from the artist’s original sculpture. Wax is formed inside the mold and then covered in a ceramic shell, which is fired in a kiln, melting the wax away and leaving a hardened mold for the molten bronze.
“We pour the molten bronze into the shell, and then we break all the shell off, and that’s how we have the piece,” Fink said.
The pole was cast in sections that were welded together, with the figure and other details carefully positioned and aligned.
A plaque will be installed dedicating the memorial to IBEW 1245 members who lost their lives on the job, along with a link to an online memorial where their names and stories can be remembered.