Business aids grieving families

14 years ago

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Business aids grieving families

While it isn’t easy helping a family cope with the loss of a loved one, Duncan-Graves Funeral Homes, with two locations in Aroostook County, has done so successfully for decades.

“Our mission is dedication to the highest quality of customer service and to serve each family’s individual needs in a caring and compassionate manner,” said owner Richard M. Duncan. “We have served every family with the same care and concern we would want if we were going through this trying time in our own family.”

According to Duncan, the business has been operating since 1939, while he and his family have owned it since 1982.

“We are all about service,” he said. “We try to anticipate peoples’ needs and provide an atmosphere with the least amount of stress as possible during this difficult time.”

Duncan-Graves Funeral Homes offers services of all types, serving every need.

Funeral homes are located at 30 Church St. in Presque Isle and 8 Main St. in Mars Hill.

Among Duncan’s responsibilities as a funeral director include consulting with the family or responsible party; coordinating service plans with cemetery, crematory and/or other parties involved in the final disposition of the deceased; coordination of religious and other ceremonies; clerical assistance in the completion of various forms associated with funerals; securing official documents and necessary registrations and sheltering of the deceased; preparing and filing various newspaper notices and obituaries, as well as online obituaries; coordination and direction of the funeral ceremony; supervision of visitation and arrangement of floral pieces and tributes, and responding to telephone calls regarding services.

From small, intimate funerals to services with a huge number of attendees, Duncan said it’s important to provide “personal service and caring consideration to those we serve.”

Duncan-Graves Funeral Homes has added onto the Presque Isle location to “offer receptions and different types of gathering times for folks.”

“We also offer new technology such as slide shows and different ideas for those who want a less traditional type of memorial service,” said Duncan.

Duncan-Graves Funeral Homes has five full- and three part-time employees. Personnel are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year — including holidays — to respond to a relative’s initial call. For more information, call 764-0625, e-mail duncangra@ainop.com, or log onto www.duncan-graves.com.