Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009

Funeral home will observe 75th year with open house

by Davis Publications staff

Mercer Funeral Home of Holton and Valley Falls will celebrate its 75th anniversary with an open house Sunday in Holton.

The current owners are Chris and Tracy Mercer and he is the third generation in his family to head the business since his grandfather, Wendell Mercer, started it in 1934.

The open house will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the funeral home located at Fourth and Montana streets in Holton.

A video presentation of the funeral home’s history will be shown and tours given of the new renovations that include a new community and coffee room. Refreshments will be served that include smoked pork sandwiches.

Wendell and Wilma Mercer moved to Holton and started the business in 1934. He had worked at funeral homes in the Kansas City and Topeka areas previously.

Their son, Wendell W. “Bill” Mercer, joined the business in 1964. The first Wendell died in 1976 and “Bill” continued to operate the home with his mother until his retirement in 1991.

Chris Mercer joined the staff in 1986 as a licensed insurance agent and then became licensed in funeral home directing to follow his father’s retirement. His grandmother remained active in the business until her health failed in the late 1990s and she died in 2005. Chris’ wife, Tracy, joined the staff in 2001.

Fire destroyed the original funeral home at Sixth Street and New York Avenue in February 1988 and a new facility was opened at the present location in the fall of that year.

Mercers purchased the Nellis Funeral Home in Valley Falls in 1996. The Jim Braum family moved to Valley Falls the next year and has managed the Valley Falls home since.