Mike Devilbiss stands in front of Devilbiss Funeral Home, his family’s business for the past 72 years. Devilbiss says he is ready for retirement and has closed the funeral home.
RADFORD – After 72 years in business, DeVilbiss Funeral Home is closing its doors.
“It’s just time to retire,” said owner and operator Mike DeVilbiss. “Time to do some fishing, some traveling. I’m thinking about maybe even getting a pull-behind camper and travel the country a little.”
DeVilbiss, 60, is the second-generation owner of the funeral home. His dad, Daniel, and his uncle, John, bought the funeral home on August 14, 1946 for $5,400 from Marshall Boyd Perfater who had operated it as Perfater Funeral Home since 1931.
Two days later, DeVilbiss Funeral Home held it’s first funeral – that of Perfater’s brother, Harvey Black.
John passed away in 1981 and Daniel in 2013. Since then, Mike has been the sole proprietor, with assistance from Office Manager Alex Davis. Mike DeVilbiss says he is likely to sell the property now, and its use will be up to the new owners. He says he has appreciated the support his business has gotten from the Radford community.
”I am really thankful for the people of Radford and the trust they have had in us,” he said.
The funeral business, he added, is not an easy life.
“It’s 24-7, middle of the night,” he said. “And you get tired of seeing sad people all of the time, that gets tough.”
DeVilbiss said he has buried two close friends, who were brothers, in the past year.
“It used to be we were burying people our grandparents’ age, and now it’s people our age,” he said.
The funerals of young people are particularly tough, and DeVilbiss says he has never charged over cost for the funeral of a young child.
“It just doesn’t seem right,” he said.
DeVilbiss has been a licensed funeral director for 40 years, but started working in the business long before that.
“We always waxed all the vehicles during the World Series,” he said. “That’s how we always listened to the World Series, on the radio while waxing cars. I have a lot of good memories here.”
In addition to doing some traveling and fishing, DeVilbiss says closing down shop will allow him to visit his mom, Lois, more often, as she is in a nursing home in Salem.
“I’m ready,” he said. “This business has been good to me, but now it’s time for a change.”