“Now, customers know that we have their loved one in our care for the entire process from beginning to end,” said Frank Lewis, owner of Jackson, Lytle and Lewis Celebration Center. “I think that that’s comforting.”
Lewis and Jack Conroy, co-owner of Conroy Funeral Home with his son, Kyle, had been talking for years about ways that they could work together to better serve their community.
The crematory has the latest technology, which is more efficient and environmentally friendly. Each staff member has been trained specifically in the new technology.
“We want to have control over that process as much as possible to make sure that it’s done in the way that we expect it to be done,” Lewis said. “This just helps us do that.”
Before the new crematory, the two funeral homes would have to contract another funeral home that had a facility for cremation services.
Jack Conroy said it also helps the two funeral homes save on the cost of business and added that the on-site crematory also helps the firms extend their services to families outside the Springfield community.
“By joining efforts with Jackson, Lytle and Lewis, the cost savings for the funeral homes) is in half, plus it doubles the numbers (of cremations performed),” he said.
Better services can be offered at a cheaper price to the customer.
“We are able to offer an extremely competitive cost to our families now that we serve cremations,” said Jack Conroy.
The Springfield funeral homes offer three types of cremation services. Depending on the type of cremation service requested, families can save on the cost of a grave, casket and a vault.
Jack Conroy also noted that there is an increase in cremation rates national.
“The number goes up each year,” he said, referring to the number of cremations. “We do approximately 25 percent (of customers requesting a cremation).
“Cremations are becoming more of an acceptable method for today’s funerals. People are using funeral ceremonies as a celebration of a person’s life more today than they ever did.”
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