- G Jay Stinson Funeral Home
- Stinson and Sons Funeral Home
- Stinson Funeral Home
- Stinson-Helms Funeral Home
- Helms Funeral Home
- Rowley Funeral Home
In 1909, G. Jay Stinson moved to Mt. Pleasant and opened a funeral home on Broadway Street above the White Star Bakery. In the early 1900’s, funerals were held in the home and in the families church. Funeral homes, as we know them today, did not exist in that time period. He later moved into a building in the 100 block of South Normal Street. Mr. Stinson operated the funeral home there for several years with his sons under the name Stinson and Sons Funeral Home, before building a new funeral home in 1940 at 330 South Normal Street, which was renamed College Street, and eventually University Avenue. The building was dedicated in early 1941, and has been in continuous use as a funeral home since then. In addition to operating the funeral home, an ambulance service was also operated from this same building. Stinson Funeral Home was the last funeral home in the county to have an ambulance service, when it was discontinued in 1963.
Mr. Stinson passed away in 1952, and his son, Russell continued to operate the funeral home until his retirement in 1973, when long time employee Harry Helms and his wife Alice purchased the funeral home. Mr. Helms started working at the funeral home in the early 1940’s, working part time while attending Central Michigan College. He served his country during World War II, and came back to Mt. Pleasant and returned to work at the Stinson Funeral Home. After attending mortuary school at Wayne State University, he returned again to work at the funeral home. He passed away in 1980, and his wife, Alice continued operation of the funeral home until her retirement in 2010, when she sold the funeral home to long time employee, Sherman Rowley and his wife Shirley. Sherm has been with the funeral home since moving to Mt. Pleasant in November 1979.
Sherm and Shirley have three married children, all living in Mt. Pleasant, and six grandchildren. Shirley is a Registered Nurse at Central Michigan Community Hospital. Sherm graduated from Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mortuary Science. He is a veteran of the United Sates Army, serving in West Germany. He is also a member of several volunteer groups, including the Mt. Pleasant Kiwanis Club, The John H. Goodrow Fund, Christmas Outreach of Isabella County, and other volunteer groups.
Although the funeral home’s name has changed several times over the past 100 years, one thing that has never changed is the compassionate, personal, and professional service the community has come to depend on from the funeral home personnel. We are here to replace confusion with calm, doubts with certainty, and questions with answers. Here, one finds a quiet gentleness in an atmosphere of dignity and trust.
As we enter the next century of service to the community, we will continue to honor traditions, while respecting change. For information or answers to any of your questions, please stop in or call the funeral home at 989-772-1529.