| Founded in 1909 by Fred Beshear
and D. M. Clark as a furniture store and undertaking business. The furniture
store was on the main floor while the funeral home was on the second floor.
During the early years, many of the visitations were held at the homes of
the loved ones with the services conducted in neighborhood churches and
homes and burials in neighborhood cemeteries. Eddie has recounted during the
40's that a trip to the Piney Grove area was an all day trip over mostly
dirt roads. "When we had to go to Piney Grove, Bird Smith would meet me at
Cadiz Hill (Hwy 672) and hook onto the hearse with a team of mules to pull
the hearse over the steep rock hill." Russell & Ligon bought Clark-
Beshear Furniture from uncle Fred in mid-1940's. Eddie bought out Ligon in
the late-1940's . On August 1, 1953 Russell & Eddie sold Clark -
Beshear Furniture to Louis Franklin & Charles Simons. Russel & Eddied moved the funeral home to a house at its' present
location.
In 1958
Russell & Eddie
added a new chapel for those desiring to have visitations and services at
the funeral home. In 1975, what is known as the blue chapel was added
expanding the facility to 6,000 sq. feet. Again in the early 90's, this
beautiful addition was repaired. Russell, Mary Elizabeth, Eddie and Virginia
continued as partners for years until Eddie & Virginia purchased the remaining half of
the business shortly after the blue chapel addition from Russell and Mary
Elizabeth as a result of their retirement. As a result, Virginia accepted a
tremendous load of responsibility in the day to day operation.
Since 1991, Jenny and her husband David Sewell have been working full
time at the funeral home. Jenny as a funeral director and David as the
embalmer and funeral director presently carry on the day to day operation of
the funeral home and are the third generation to continue on the business. |
See more photos in the "Photo
Album" |
