By Derrick Forsythe Record Staff Writer For Ray and Kelly Chmiel, it’s not business. It’s personal. The couple recently aquired ownership of Martin Funeral Home, located at the intersection of …
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New funeral home owners plan to uphold tradition
Posted
By Derrick ForsytheRecord Staff WriterFor Ray and Kelly Chmiel, it’s not business.It’s personal.The couple recently aquired ownership of Martin Funeral Home, located at the intersection of Highway 47 and Main Street in Warrenton.But directing funerals is nothing new to the Chmiels, who bought the business from Kelly’s mother, Fran Martin, last September.“We wanted to keep it in the family,” said Kelly, whose father, Danny, had operated the business from 1987 until he passed away in 2005.They also own a location on Highway 47 in Marthasville."The name Martin Funeral Home goes pretty deep in this community,” said Ray, who left his job of 20 years with Batesville Casket Company to help run the operations.Kelly has worked at the funeral home, assisting her mother since 2005.Ray and Kelly actually met through the business, when Ray was making visits to her father as a casket salesman. Danny introduced the two and the rest is history.Since that time, Ray has developed a growing passion for a business that has intrigued him since childhood.“I’ve wanted to be a funeral director since I was a kid,” quipped Ray.The Chmiels have begun phase one of what they call a three-year, five-tier upgrade to the facilities and grounds. The remodel includes new interior paint, all new wall hangings, furniture as well as window replacement on the building, which was constructed in 1951.“The old building has a lot of character, but we want to keep it modernized too,” said Kelly.The interior was recently painted a warmer color to make the appearance more inviting.They also plan to update logos and make changes from a marketing standpoint, as well as expand the second chapel in the future.In addition, Corey Tobias and Rachel Wiltsch have joined the staff full time, along with 12 part-time employees who assist with visitations.“A lot of this is about building relationships in the community, so we want to have familiar faces that truly care about people working for us,” said Ray.While the physical surroundings may change for visitors, the Chmiels assure one thing will remain the same.“We want to keep the same traditions that Danny had,” said Ray. “He built this business by taking care of families and establishing a solid reputation that we want to carry on in the community.”He says the business’s No. 1 objective has never and will never change.“Every family is a new family,” said Ray. “We’re here to serve each family’s individual needs.”Martin Funeral Home offers services both at their facilities and on-site, as well as prearranged services.The Chmiels encourage their patrons to tailor each service to make it personal, paying proper respect to the deceased.“We want to make sure when we’re done serving a family, that they have no doubt in their mind that the next time somebody passes in their family, they’re going to come back to us,” said Ray.
Ray Chmiel, right, and wife Kelly took over ownership of Martin Funeral Home in Sept. of 2014. The couple has since begun phase one of a one-, three- and five-year upgrading plan.Derrick Forsythe photo.
