A century of change

Fri, May 16 2008

— Crystal McCoy
cmccoy@weatherforddemocrat.com
For the past century three generations of the White family have been serving Parker County in their greatest times of need.
It all started when a young 26-year-old W.A. White began selling coffins in Springtown.
“As a left-handed roper he couldn’t make a living so he got a job with Captain Kidd Mercantile and was assigned to the coffin corner,” Bob White said.
Five years later, in 1913, he moved to Poolville selling coffins for Ward, McDonald and Doughty Mercantile. It was here he began his vision of owning and operating a funeral home.
The following year the death of the local embalmer opened the door for W.A. to move into Weatherford and start his own undertaking company.
At the time, most funerals where held the day after death with embalming performed in the home of the deceased who was then transferred to church for the service and onto the cemetery for burial. But W.A. envisioned the forthcoming of funeral directors and the need for funeral homes.
As this new concept caught on the need for a larger facility became apparent and the White Funeral Home at 130 Houston Ave. was constructed in 1930.
“Until this time, no one had taken the idea seriously that a funeral service might be held directly in the funeral home,” according to a release from White’s. “But White could see a growing need for such services. And he understood that sometimes having the funeral service at the funeral home might be more comforting and less difficult for the family.”
Business grew and W.A.’s family came to his assistance, including J. Herschel White, his brother; Ford White, his son; and Morris Sands, his son-in-law.
W.A.’s grandson, Bob, started working in the funeral home shortly after high school. He said it was a “natural flow” for the business to be handed down to him.
“As a funeral director, I’ve learned that knowledge is gained through training, experience, but most is gained from a true desire to serve our fellow man in the best way possible,” Bob said.
Bob is a licensed funeral director and embalmer and is assisted by six additional funeral directors and nearly a dozen additional staff including Cindy Hanna. Hanna is superintendent of cemeteries over Memory Gardens and Greenwood.
Shortly after going to work for the White’s, Hanna said she “fell in love” with the work.
“I was looking for a change of pace,” she said. “I love working with the families, visiting with the people, being of support, friendship and a form of ministry.”
Over the years as health standards increased and new practices developed, White’s has remained on the front line keeping up to date with the latest
innovations. White’s provided the first air-conditioned ambulances and housed the first air-conditioned chapel in Weatherford.
The most important innovation pioneered by White's was the W.A. White Burial Association, organized in 1940. Original burial policies were written in the amount of $150, however as time passed, W.A. and his son, Ford, saw that this insurance was not adequate. In 1952 the White's Service Insurance Company was established to write policies with values up to $2500.
White’s is now part of the Funeral Directors Life Insurance Company, a company of $500 million dollars in insured pre-need plans. Bob White is on the Board of Directors.
Changes in the post mortem business continue to change. Hanna said services are becoming more personalized and in some cases upbeat and a life is celebrated rather than mourned.

“The younger generations are wanting to do more power point presentations, video presentations,” she said. “That is a great way for a family to remember a loved one. It adds that personal touch to the funeral service.”
Families also bring photos and personal effects to customize the funeral.
“In one case we had a gentleman who collected old cars, the actual running vehicles, so the evening of the visitation they brought his car up and sat it in front of the funeral home and it was actually used in the funeral procession,” Hanna said.
White’s now has locations in Springtown, Azle and Mineral Wells.
“It’s nice to know that some things in life never change,” states a release from the funeral home. “Today, White’s Funeral Home is still a pioneer and innovator in their industry. They offer a wide range of services from traditional funeral services, to cremation services and pre-arranged funeral plans. While there have been many changes in funeral service these last one hundred years, the staff of White’s Funeral Homes stand ready to accept the challenge of providing for the needs of our community for the future.”