For several months now I have noticed a new structure being built on the Southwest corner of SW 119th and I-44. For the longest time I could never figure out what it was.

This past week I noticed two limos and a hearse parked in the garage area that faces I-44. After a little research I found out this site is going to be a new funeral home and burial park ran by Vondel L. Smith and Sons.

It is very nice looking facility and it looks like it will be ready to open with in a few weeks. The Smith Family has always been good to my family when we lost a loved one.

I hope they stay around OKC for years to come. Especially since every funeral home in the city is being sucked up by major corporations. When that happens you always lose the personal touch a locally owned place offers.

My guess is they had to expand to compete with the cemeteries around the city that now a have funeral home on site.

Its name will be:

Heritage Burial Park and Funeral Home



http://www.vondelsmithmortuary.com/assets/images/cemetery02.jpg


http://www.vondelsmithmortuary.com/assets/images/landcrop_102.jpg

I agree about the Smith's. They, as Keith put it in an email to me about my dad, are "a class act." (In fact, I used Keith's quote to close one of my dad's eulogies) His people even hugged us when we needed them for a second time in less than a month last year.

I went to Grant with Scott Smith who now owns the mortuaries and although we did not know each other well, he remembered me and took some personal time with us.

Anyone who uses Scott's new facility will have some great service with care and compassion. I congradulate the Smiths on the new place and wish them luck.

One more thought. Yes. Usually when someone sells to a major corporation the personal touch is lost. One exception is Grace Memorial Chapel in Ponca City. Rick Osborn was extreemly kind. Although he had not met our family, we now think of him as a family friend.

I doubt Scott Smith will ever sell his business.

It's like Six Feet Under.

I noticed the building, and it is a beautiful facility... but isn't it a bit odd that the highway will overlook the cemetary?? Doesn't seem like it would be very peaceful...

I noticed the building, and it is a beautiful facility... but isn't it a bit odd that the highway will overlook the cemetary?? Doesn't seem like it would be very peaceful...

Not really. A lot of cities have cemeteries that overlook freeways.