Westmoreland Funeral Home
Since its official establishment by Sigrid “Sig” James Westmoreland in 1932, Westmoreland Funeral Home has embodied its core values by honorably serving the citizens of McDowell County during their most vulnerable and trying time: the passing of a loved one. Losing a family member or friend is one of the most difficult life events a person can face.
Westmoreland Funeral Home — a local, family-owned funeral home — takes it to heart, comforting their neighbors while they mourn. The owners and caretakers of the funeral home are members of the community who truly empathize and care for families during the grieving process. Anyone who has lost someone close to them knows that having support like this is crucial while coming to terms with saying goodbye.
Shouldering the burden
Tyler Mace, funeral home manager at Westmoreland Funeral Home, discusses in great detail the level of care, compassion and commitment he and his colleagues bestow on their local community. “Service is our No. 1 priority. Our focus is on professionalism, dedication to our families, shouldering their burden and providing a premium level of attention to detail by personalizing every service to their specifications,” Mace says.
Personalized services
Westmoreland Funeral Homes can provide highly personalized service because it’s owned and operated by locals. “We take pride in remaining locally owned throughout our 90 years in business,” Mace says. “Having the ownership remain in the community allows us to continue our personalized-services touch instead of offering cookie-cutter services.” Tyler and Rebekah Mace are the 4th generation continuing the family business. Rebekah Mace is Sig Westmorland's great granddaughter.
Reflecting on their history
The 90th-anniversary celebration has given Mace and his staff an opportunity to reflect on the impact they have made in the community over the years. “We see ourselves as more than a funeral home service,” Mace says. “We are focused on the needs of the community as a whole and provide sponsorships to local community needs and initiatives.”
Westmoreland Funeral Home founder Sig Westmoreland started a college trust for the local community college. The funeral home also sponsors local schools and team sports in McDowell County, along with many events such as the Mountain Glory Festival and McDowell County Senior Games. The funeral home is also one of the oldest members of McDowell Chamber of Commerce, joining in 1957, and also a member of Downtown Business Association for over 30 years.
Mace explains that his family is devoted to the well-being of the community both inside and outside their funeral home. “Our commitment to service does not end once the funeral proceedings are completed. We are committed to serving our fellow community members in any way possible,” Mace says. Westmoreland Funeral Home offers free daily grief support through an email program to help those in the community who are grieving. It also offers a weekly guide to those who want to help a grieving loved one, but are not sure where to start.
Inside the funeral home
As Westmoreland Funeral Home looks back over the dedication of service they’ve provided to McDowell County, it is also looking to the future. To remain steadfast in business for almost a century, the funeral home has had to convey a different level of service, empathy and personalized care to assist loved ones in their time of need.
With a large chapel, multiple private staterooms, two arrangement rooms, a parlor, crematory on site and a witness cremation room, urn displays and a large casket and vault selection room, the funeral home is able to provide families with a customized service perfect for honoring their loved one. Westmoreland Funeral Home also has two locations — Westmoreland Funeral Home and Crematory in Marion and Westmoreland Funeral Service and Cremations in Old Fort — allowing families to honor their late loved one closer to home.
The funeral home has been a foundational bedrock for the local community since the 1930s and plans to continue to serve at the highest level for years to come. If you and your family are considering options for funeral service providers, placing your trust and security in a tenured, local-owned funeral home like Westmoreland Funeral Home is paramount.
For more information on the services and support Westmoreland Funeral Home provides to the community, visit westmorelandfuneralhome.com.
