Our Story
Our Story
Stumpff Funeral Home became a potential in 1957 when Gary M. Stumpff, at age 14, took a job with George and Helen Manlove, owners of Manlove Funeral Home in Crane, Missouri. This job continued three years through high school and a short time in 1962 while Gary was attending Drury College.
Gary and Jean Ann Nicholson were married in 1962 and the two made their home in Dallas, Texas while Gary attended Dallas Institute Gupton-Jones College of Mortuary Science and Jean Ann eearned her P.H.T. (putting hubby through) degree as a registered nurse at Baylor Hospital.
The Cheatham Funeral Home in Galena was purchased March 20, 1963, from Everett and Gladys Cheatham one week before Gary was 20 years old, probably making him one of the youngest funeral home owners in the state at that time. The home was renamed Cheatham-Stumpff Funeral Home and became home to Gary and Jean Ann were they reared their family for the next 25 years.
The Stumpff Funeral Chapel in Reeds Spring was opened in 1965 in a former church building and continued operation until 1985.
In 1972 the Gary M. Stumpff Chapel was opened in Kimberling City and continued until 1985. The Cantrell-Stumpff Funeral Home in Crane also began operating in 1972 as a corporation with William “Bud” Cantrell. Mr. Cantrell’s interest was later purchased and the Stumpff’s continued operation until 1978 when they purchased the Manlove Funeral Home of Crane from Helen Manlove. This home was known as Manlove-Stumpff Funeral Home. This firm purchased the equipment and inventory of the Bowling Funeral Home, also of Crane, in 1981.
Stumpff Funeral Home-South was built in 1985 on Highway 13 between Reeds Spring and Kimberling City and its completion brought to an end the facilities in those two towns by combining those services in the new facility.
Garrick M. “Rick” Stumpff graduated from Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science in 1988, he and his wife, Darla, returned to Stone County to become a part of the operation of the funeral homes. Following the death of Jean Ann Stumpff in 1993, the business was incorporated as Stumpff Family Funeral Directors as was purchased by Rick and Darla in 1994.
The people of the area showed a great trust in a very young man starting in funeral service in 1963 and the Stumpff family strives daily to continue to earn that trust and to serve the needs of grieving families.
History Credit to History of Stone County Volume 2
