Families are important to the Keever family.
The lineage in the Ennis-based family’s business dates 97 years, when James Edwin Keever, Sr., purchased J.W. Neal Undertakers and Embalmers in May 1918. He soon changed the name of the business to J.E. Keever Undertakers and Embalmers and began his newly-acquired business with two other employees. Today, J.E. Keever Mortuary is operated by the founder’s grandson, David, and his family.
“We’ve been here for 97 years under the same family name. There aren’t very many businesses that can say that,” said David Keever. “My dad took over from my grandfather in 1963, and I took over for my dad in 1982. I worked with my dad for a long time. I will have been in the business 43 years as of December.”
And now the next generations are involved, too.
“My son, Matt, is the fourth generation to be involved. He is a licensed funeral director and embalmer,” David said. “My granddaughter, Natalie, is the fifth generation. She has spent the summer here archiving our old files.”
However, the importance of family extends beyond that. The Keevers are charged with helping families in some of the most trying times of their lives, dealing with decisions and services in the wake of the deaths of loved ones.
“We consider ourselves a full-service funeral home,” David said. “We do everything we can to please the families.”
The full-service mortuary’s services include conducting the arrangements conference; planning the funeral; consulting with family and clergy; shelter of remains; preparing and filing of necessary notices; obtaining the necessary authorizations and permits; and coordinating with the cemetery, crematory, or other third parties. J.E. Keever Mortuary has on-site casket cut-a-ways that allow a family to see models up close. It also offers monument sales. People interested in pre-planning funerals can do that, too. There are other services available as well, all of which can be seen at the firm’s website, www.jekeevermortuary.com. In addition to the Ennis facility, there is one in Palmer, too.
The staff includes Carol Brazier, administrative assistant; her husband, Robert Brazier, who handles technology, plays the piano and organ, and sings; Shane Foshee, a part-time embalmer; Paul Wood, who manages the crematory; and night receptionists Cozette Duke, Lisa Sinclair and Janis Wensowitch.
David said the company has continually sought to improve its services and change with the desires of people.
“People are moving away from the traditional type of funeral service,” David said. “They are doing more remembrances and celebrations. We see more families doing their own services and not using a minister. Families are doing the eulogies themselves, telling stories. We encourage people to do that. It does make it easier for them to share their thoughts.”
“Cremations are becoming more popular in this area, but not as much as in the Northeast or Northwest. I have friends up north whose business is 80 percent cremation.”
David said one of the reasons for the change is people are more mobile and live farther from family. Plus, as people move more often, they don’t put down community roots as they once did. It means working from long distance has become more commonplace.
“We have done complete funeral arrangements over the phone and the service was ready when the family got here. In the past, we would have never been asked to do something such as that.
“Things change. It’s not bad – it’s just change, and we have to change with it. Sometimes we have to challenge ourselves to go with the change.”
David is proud to be the third generation of his family to operate the mortuary. It is evident he is even more proud to talk about the fourth and fifth generations working there. And he hints at a milestone that’s just around the corner.
“We’re starting to talk about what we’re going to do in three years,” he said. “We’re probably going to have to start planning about a year in advance.”
One has to wonder if Mr. J.E. Keever would have suspected at the time that the business he was buying in 1918 would celebrate a 100th birthday a century later.
