Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, October 7, 1994                   TAG: 9410070015
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

IN BUSINESS

Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, a cemetery on Airport Road in Roanoke, has been sold to Louisiana-based Stewart Enterprises, which owns and operates cemeteries and funeral homes throughout the country.

Tom Briers, spokesman in the company's regional office in Bethesda, Md., said the sales contract prohibits disclosure of the terms of the purchase. The deal closed last Friday, he said.

Stewart Enterprises also operates funeral homes, but Briers said there are no plans to expand the Roanoke operation.

"It's too early to say what plans we have," Briers said. He added that the company will continue to offer customary cemetery services and will retain existing employees. Tony Peterson will remain as manager.

The cemetery had been owned by Peterson's grandfather, James Springer of Roanoke. Peterson said Springer established the burial park in 1954 and had owned it ever since then.

- Staff report

Briefly ...

ABC Financial & Tax Service, a tax preparation, accounting and financial planning firm, has moved its office from Salem to 365 Day Ave. S.W. near downtown Roanoke.

Jessie Brown III, a real estate agent and broker, has opened Century 21 Brown Realty Co. Inc., affiliated with Century 21 Real Estate of the Mid-Atlantic States, McLean. Brown was with Boone & Co. Realtors.