History

In January 1952, Max and Connie Skinner  purchased the Beashore residence located on River Street where the funeral home is still located. It was there that they began their new business and started their family. Max had just completed Mortuary College in Detroit and subsidized his new business by working as a mail carrier in the U.S. Postal Service in Eaton Rapids, as well as operating the local ambulance service.

Living in the funeral home was often difficult, especially while raising two small children. Furniture was moved out and part of the residence was transformed to a funeral home for each service.

In 1963, the Skinners purchased the Milbourne Home (built by the Kositchek family) next door, on the corner. The family moved into the house and the original home was used entirely for the Funeral Home. The large spacious chapel, which connects the residence to the funeral home, was added in 1968. Also in 1968, the City of Eaton Rapids took over the ambulance service.

Max and Connie’s son, Larry, married Jill Cleeves in 1978. He graduated from Mortuary College in Chicago in 1980 and purchased the family business in 1983. Max remains very active in the business, assisting Larry whenever possible.

While raising their 3 children over the past 21 years, Larry and Jill have purchased property adjacent to the funeral home for additional parking. They also modified the funeral home to be handicap accessible, expanded the foyer and improved the outside appearance. They continue to update the inside facility with the most recent addition being a newly remodeled library/lounge.

In March of 2007, Nathan and Jonathan became the 3rd generation to join the family business.  Nathan graduated from CMU in 2006 with a Bachelors Degree in marketing and Jonathan fulfilled 3 years of business classes at CMU when together they decided to go to Mortuary School. 

They moved to Chicago in February of 2006 and began classes at Worsham Mortuary College.  After graduation  from Worsham College in March of 2007, they came home and fulfilled their apprentice, passed the National and State Boards and joined the family business.   At that time the family purchased a second facility, Chapel in the Pines Funeral Home, located on the south end of Lansing.