The death of a close relative can be one of the most challenging times in the lives of those left to mourn.
The hassle of making funeral arrangements combined with the cost can take its toll.
It is therefore crucial to have the right support team assisting during your time of bereavement.
is where the Memorial Funeral Home fits in perfectly to the needs of those dealing with the loss of their loved ones offering professional funeral services at an affordable price.
According to Stephen Da Silva, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Memorial Funeral Home, it is more than just business – it is about giving back and saying thanks.
The Memorial Funeral Home will be celebrating its 6-year anniversary this year, having opened its doors on August 11, 2018, and during that time, they have extended their business above and beyond.
“I will say that when it comes to customer service, the Memorial Funeral Home is a cut above the rest,” Da Silva said.
The Memorial Funeral Home offers a modern, unique experience with top-of-the-line facilities and a first-class operation at its Mesopotamia headquarters.
This includes an air-conditioned chapel to facilitate viewing and services and counselor services for those dealing with great emotional stress following the death of a close relative.
For the first time in St Vincent and the Grenadines, people are now able to break from the traditional funeral and opt to cremate their loved ones.
“It was a personal sacrifice that I made to purchase that cremation machine,” Da Silva said.
However, more and more people are moving away from traditional funerals and are cremating their loved ones.
And with the issue of limited space across the country’s cemeteries, it is perhaps a good option to have.
In most instances, cremating is also cheaper Da Silva said, than the traditional funeral.
Apart from the quality service from members of staff and the equipment, Memorial Funeral Home is all about giving back to the community.
Asberth Williams, General Manager said that during the time that the funeral home has been in operation, they have gone into various communities across the country making donations of items including pampers and basic food supplies to those in need.
Above all, the Memorial Funeral Home takes pride in that they have established a legacy of organizing funerals free of cost for families who really can’t afford them.
Williams, who took over the position of GM for just about one year said that the goal is to work with people.
“There are families who would have arranged with Memorial Funeral Home to collect the body of their loved ones, but then they say that they are unable to cover the cost of the funeral, and Memorial Funeral Home has assisted such persons,” Williams said.
We offer discounts too, he added.
“It’s a business and we have to make money, but at the end of the day, we have to give back.”
The idea is to work with the public, the GM said adding that someone can get a funeral done at a cost of EC$3,900 minimum.
“We can make you happy, so Memorial is the way to go,” Williams said.
And speaking of giving back, we have recently helped a child, diagnosed with cancer to do her medical in the United States, she is still there and undergoing therapy, which we are supporting.
The Funeral home would officially celebrates 6 years in August, but it is not remaining stagnant and always looking for ways to improve.
The premises in Mesopotamia recently got an addition and now boast a new showroom and an additional chapel – all this to complement the Kingstown office which was opened back in 2019.
Persons are also being encouraged to take advantage of the company’s referral system.
Williams explained that persons will be compensated once they refer a recent death to the Memorial Funeral Home.
He offered some advice however to members of the public saying that while the Memorial Funeral Home is prepared to work along with families, he strongly encourages the public to prepare for their death.
“Even if it its Bunpan, or a credit union, and NIS make sure that you put something aside,” the GM said.
“I mean we at Memorial Funeral Home would understand and try put things in place, but we cannot give a free funeral to all,” Williams added.
But while they spoke of the positive accomplishments thus far, there is one major challenge.
Williams explained that there are a few funeral homes offering funeral services in the country, but a level playing field is needed.
He explained that at one point in the nation’s history, there was only Everready Funeral Home in operation that was responsible for collecting bodies when there was a murder or sudden death throughout the country without any major competition.
But now, each entity ought to be given a fair opportunity in the business.
According to Williams, individuals must have a choice to decide who picks up their loved ones,who have to transported to the hospital for autopsy. The funeral home is faced with a challenge, where a family would call us to pick up the remains of their loved ones . When we arrived on the scene, police or doctor would advise that Every Ready Funeral home have to take the body to the morgue because an autopsy is needed.
The Funeral home has been trying to resolve this issue since 2021, we wrote the then Commissioner of Police, to which he replied with a promise to look into the matter and went on further to say there is no existing policy with any funeral home.
