Memorial Funeral Home celebrates one year

When the Memorial Funeral Home opened its doors on August 11, 2018, its main aim was to provide modern, affordable and efficient services to its clients.

And more than a year later, the management is satisfied that it has been able to do just that for the people of this nation.

Though the concept of the business began years ago, the funeral home is a joint partnership between Stephen DaSilva and Ashley Samuel, who both reside in the United States.

Manager of the funeral home Asfo Stephens told SEARCHLIGHT in a recent interview, that the common thread between the two directors of the company was that they wanted to honour their deceased fathers.

“The Memorial Funeral Home has a specific uniqueness,” Stephens said. “We do funerals from beginning to end. This means we can do everything for your funeral, from the picking up of the body to the laying of the dead. So we provide even a private laying of the body. We provide that pastoral kind of service…”

In addition to the usual services offered by funeral homes, the Memorial Funeral Home offers private viewings and private funeral services at any of their two chapels as well as counselling and follow-ups with families to see how they are coping with the loss of their loved one.

Stephens said that he is satisfied that the funeral home has done well in its first year and has many achievements to show for it.

“Although we have not reached our zenith, we have had a fair share of the market and I think that’s a significant achievement. We have been able to reach out to the general public in the provision of services, humanitarian services, giving of gifts, providing sponsorship of sports teams,” he said. “We have been able to, in cases where persons who may have certain financial dilemma, we have reached out to such persons and even to honour persons who have made significant impact on development of St Vincent and the Grenadines.”

The main branch of the Memorial Funeral Home is located in the breadbasket of St Vincent, Mesopotamia.

However, in keeping with the company’s aim to offer quality customer service, the funeral home opened its Kingstown office in time for its first anniversary.

And Stephens said this was done with the intention of “better serving the general public so that it makes it easier for us to link the Windward and Leeward at a more central location, with the whole idea of cushioning the cost of commuting”.

This new office is located upstairs the Russell’s Building, Room 10.

The manager added that the funeral home is always thinking of how to enhance its services for clients. And in the future, there are plans to have a private cemetery for persons who desire such services.

He also said that the funeral home has given one-off bursaries and they are looking into providing scholarships to primary and secondary school students in the future.

Stephens noted that the funeral home is not affiliated with any other funeral home in St Vincent and the Grenadines and he thanked the public for their support in the company’s first year and said that he looked forward to their continued support.