By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — In 1898, G.M. Morgan purchased a furniture and undertaking company located on Sweden Street in Caribou. Five owners, four buildings and 115 years later the historic business is still a staple of the community, maintaining their century-spanning reputation of exceptional service.
Contributed photo by Liz Andretta
Certified Funeral Service Practitioner Doug Hunter, owner of 115-year-old Lancaster Morgan Funeral Home, purchased the Duncan Graves Funeral Home and its locations in Presque Isle and Mars Hill in the summer of 2012; Hunter has owned the Lancaster Morgan Funeral Home in Caribou since 2007. Comprising the family-owned business include, front row, center, CFSP Doug Hunter, his wife, Dr. Josette Hunter, their twin sons, David and Caleb Hunter, and the family dog Odo. Back row, from left, Cecil Walton, funeral attendant; Jeremy Corey, apprentice; Steve Clockedile, funeral attendant; John Weeks, funeral attendant, and Funeral Directors John Johnston and Stephen Lunn.
Current owner of the Lancaster-Morgan Funeral Home Doug Hunter, CFSP, graduated from the Caribou High School 90 years after the Morgan Funeral Home was founded and, at the time, had no idea that he’d purchase the Lancaster-Morgan Funeral Home in 2007 from John and Juanita Lancaster. In 2012, Hunter also officially purchased the Duncan-Graves Funeral Homes in Mars Hill and Presque Isle from friend and mentor Rick Duncan, who initially introduced Hunter to the profession.
Though Hunter owns three funeral homes — each with outstanding reputations — his first career was in accounting.
Hunter and his family had just returned from living overseas with Mercy Ships (an international charity that operates the largest non-governmental hospital ship in the world, providing health services to the drastically underprivileged in impoverished countries) when Duncan asked if Hunter would help out with a few things at the funeral home.
Hunter liked doing accounting work well enough, but working with funeral services was very reminiscent to the mission work he and his family had just returned from.
“It was more helping people in difficult situations, and that’s what really attracted me to this work. To be in this kind of job, you need to really love people and you need to really love working with people,” Hunter said. “It’s very fulfilling to be able to get to know families so well, and to help people in difficult circumstances is very rewarding.”
That community dedication has been a constant at Lancaster Morgan Funeral Home, which was born of two separate businesses — the Morgan Funeral Home and the Lancaster Funeral Home.
When G.M. Morgan purchased the business in 1898, the facility was both furniture and an undertaking facility.
Back in the day, funeral services operated out of furniture stores because the furniture stores sold caskets.
“Selling the caskets led to funeral directors, which led to starting funeral homes,” Hunter explained.
In 1927, a new brick building was constructed by the Morgans to house both the furniture and undertaking companies — the building still stands with a very different tenant, as it’s now the home of Caribou Theaters.
Ralph and Clyde Morgan — two of G.M. Morgan’s sons, built the Morgan Funeral Home in 1948.
Two years after the new Morgan Funeral Home was built, the Lancaster Funeral Home was established in Caribou by Jack and Juanita Lancaster on Pleasant Street in 1950; it wasn’t until 1972 that the Lancasters purchased the Morgan Funeral Home and became the Lancaster Morgan Funeral Home and settled into its current location at 11 Clover Street.
“Because we’re a very traditional business, its nice to continue the traditions in our community,” Hunter said. “Both Lancaster Morgan and Duncan-Graves funeral homes have been in our communities for a number of years, and I think it’s important for people in our communities to know that we’re reliable, steady people they can always count on,” he added.
While the businesses are committed in continuing to surpass the communities’ high expectations, they’ve also added a few services in order to cater to the times.
“The way people grieve, the way we help people with their grief, that’s changed as our culture changes,” Hunter explained.
For example, Hunter explained that 100 years ago, visitation would be held for maybe two or three days; now, visitation is usually held for two or three hours.
“As our culture changes, it’s important that we’re here to respond with what the needs are for our community,” Hunter said.
One service that wasn’t offered 10 years ago — giving family members who can’t make it back for the service an opportunity to mourn and grieve with their loved ones using the Internet.
“When you look at the history of funeral service, it’s changed a lot,” Hunter said. “Now we can stream our funeral services on our website when we have calling/visitation.”
If a family holds their service at the funeral home, or even if their church has a wireless Internet connection, Hunter can also air the service through the website.
“It’s nice to be able to provide a way for family members to be able to be here — they can still see and they can still interact, even if they can’t be here,” Hunter explained. “That’s just one different way that we’ve changed our business in order to meet the needs of families.
As funeral homes have such deep roots in the communities, both the Lancaster Morgan and the Duncan Graves funeral homes sponsor grief support seminars twice a month, and they also hold clergy seminars on a regular basis.
Additional information about Lancaster Morgan can be found by visiting www.lancastermorgan.com or calling 492-2171.
