📍 4398 Mount Vernon Rd SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403
🕐 Mon–Fri: 9am – 4pm
📍 4398 Mount Vernon Rd SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403
🕐 Mon–Fri: 9am – 4pm
Learn how Expressions on Stone came to be
A father’s love, carved in stone.
Amanda Knight was born on February 21, 1985, to Brad and Patricia Knight — both proud members of the US Marine Corps — at Long Beach Naval Hospital. She was a beautiful, healthy little girl, the first born, followed by three younger brothers.
Amanda loved to swim and started competing early in life. An accomplished athlete, she swam competitively all the way through high school.
At age 23, Amanda felt a small bump on her lower side. It turned out to be a very rare form of cancer. A year and a half later, she passed away peacefully, with her family by her side.
At age 9, Amanda had come to her father Brad after a sermon by Pastor Jack Ray at 9th Street Baptist Church in Spener, Iowa, and said, “Daddy, I want to give my heart to Jesus and be baptized.” She did just that shortly after.
“I can’t tell you how much peace that gave me when she took her last breath — as I knew where she was going, and that I would definitely see her again one day.”
— Brad Knight, founder
Amanda meant the world to Brad. He thought of her constantly and wanted to find a small, meaningful memorial for his office — something that would keep her memory close. He searched, but couldn’t find anything he truly loved.
In 2019, while experimenting with granite in his garage in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, Brad decided to try making his own memorial. That humble experiment gave birth to Expressions on Stone.
What started in a garage has grown into a full-time business with a large showroom in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The name was originally going to be “Mini-Memorials,” but Brad’s wife, Lori Ann, came up with a better, more inclusive name — one that captures the full range of what they now create: memorials for people, pet memorials, logos for sports teams, and custom pieces for businesses, or truly anything someone wants preserved in stone.
Every stone is handcrafted with care and love. It is truly a joy for Brad to take someone’s idea, create the artwork, and then turn it into a beautiful, handcrafted, engraved, custom stone. His mission is simple: to share his daughter’s story, and to give others a lasting way to honor the people and things they love most.
Mt. Vernon, Iowa — where it all began
Marion, Iowa
4398 Mt. Vernon Rd, Cedar Rapids, Iowa — full factory & showroom
Every piece is handcrafted — not machine-made. We put genuine care and emotion into each stone, because we know how much it means to you.
We stand behind every piece we create. If you're not completely satisfied with your custom stone, we'll make it right — that's our promise to you.
Enjoy the convenience of free delivery throughout the Cedar Rapids, IA area. We also ship nationwide for customers beyond our local region.
As a token of appreciation for their selfless service, we offer a 10% discount for first responders, military personnel, and veterans.
There are no limits to customization. Choose your size, shape, color, font, design elements, and text — or bring your own artwork and ideas.
Every stone is shaped, etched, and finished entirely by hand — never mass-produced. The result is a one-of-a-kind piece with character and detail that machines simply can't replicate.
Our range of handcrafted products serves every occasion and need.
