About Us
About Us
Hutchins Funeral Home’s story starts with F.M. Keasey who came to Watervliet and opened a funeral home 1900. Mr. Keasey was one of the first licensed embalmers in the state of Michigan with license number 25. In the early years, his brother Merritt was associated with him and together they also ere involved in furniture merchandising and harness making. F.M Keasey’s son, Stanford, was associated with the funeral home until his death in 1937.
After F.M. Keasey’s son’s death he turned to Andrew Hutchins who owned an automobile service station, ran the bus routes for Watervliet Public Schools. Andy became an assistant to Keasey in 1929 and graduated from Watervliet High School in 1930. After a few years he attended Worsham Colege of Mortuary Science in Chicago, graduating in 1937. He became a junior partner with Keasey, purchasing the business in 1941 operating the funeral home as Keasey-Hutchins Funeral Home. In 1943 Andy purchased Keasey’s interest in the business. After the death of F.M. Keasey in 1945, the firm became known as Hutchins Funeral Home. Andy purchased 209 S. Main, from T.J. Scheid in 1953 and that is where the funeral home remains located to day. The funeral home started downtown, then moved to 121 S. Main, until it’s present location.
In 1963, Andy’s son Roland graduated from Watervliet High School. He continued his education at Benton Harbor Community College and Milwaukee Institute of Mortuary Science. Roland returned to Watervliet to work along side his father in 1967. Roland sadly only got to work with Andy for two years when Andy died in 1969. In 1970 Roland purchased the business from his mother Mary and is still operating it today. He has been licensed for over 55 years and has been running the funeral home along side his wife Loretta. They raised five children while running the funeral home and each one contributed to the workings of a family business throughout their lives.
The Hutchins Funeral Home story continues with Roland’s daughter Rebecca, a 1993 graduate of Watervliet High School. After high school Rebecca continued her education at Lake Michigan College and Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science where she graduated in 1997. Rebecca completed her apprenticeship year in Portage, Michigan. Rebecca returned to Watervliet in 1998 to become the third generation to operate Hutchins Funeral Home.
