Simpson Funeral Museum coverage

Fresh news clip covering Simpson Funeral Museum.

Yes, reporter Danielle Staub unfortunately states "1941 Packard HearsT" in video. Other than that one glitch, nice piece.

Direct video link: http://www.wdbj7.com/video/simpson-family-funeral-museum-pays-tribute-to-the-profession/32081036

Story: http://www.wdbj7.com/news/local/southern-virginia/museum-pays-tribute-to-funeral-service-profession/32082334

CHATHAM, Va. -

A funeral museum in Pittsylvania County is paying tribute to the funeral service profession.

Dating back to the 1800s, the Simpson Funeral Museum has created a place for people to learn what being a funeral director or an undertaker involves.

The museum front jumps out at you on South Main Street in Chatham. And that's exactly what Scott Simpson and his father had in mind when they opened last summer.

"My father is a licensed funeral director and has been for 52 years," said Scott Simpson, part owner. "And he's been collecting pieces off and on for years."

A 1876 horse-drawn carriage and 1941 Packard Hearse sit right in front to grab your eye when you walk in.

"In addition to paying tribute to the profession, we also want to educate the general public and let them know it's OK to expose themselves to this topic to this subject because it comes for all of us," Simpson said. "Wish it didn't but it does, it's just a fact of life."

The Simpson Funeral Museum is one of 10 in the country and the only full museum on the east coast. This renovated building is the site of the original Chatham Furniture and Undertaking Shop in the late 1800s.

Since the summer, they have seen people from 20 different states, three foreign countries and others that just stop in right off the street.

After the cars, guests see two murals on the walls depicting where the industry began to where it is now.

And then a display of caskets.

In the back of the museum they have a display of what the undertaker would bring to a home back in the 1800s. This is where he would lay the body and this is a display of vintage embalming fluids.

But the question remains, what about cremation?

"There are still a great deal of people that still believe in the more traditional form of burial, absolutely," Simpson said. "But it is a personal choice, it is a personal choice."
 
Our study group had a meeting there last Wednesday, both the '41 Packard and '76 S & S are fantastic... They had recently used the '41 Packard on a Congressman's grandmothers funeral...
The whole place is quite interesting.
 
Back
Top