Blog

New Film : The Burial

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 04:00:00 GMT

Update: New Film, The Burial

You may be aware that a movie inspired by the lawsuit filed by Mississippi funeral director Jeremiah O’Keefe against the Loewen Group in the mid-1990s came out in limited release to movie theaters on October 6 and on Amazon Prime Video on October 13. The trailer can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=ZOhIdaufd3Q .

As is often the case when films are “inspired by true events,” the truth can be distorted, important details can be left out and facts can be made up to make a movie more interesting to audiences.

This film boils down to a David vs. Goliath battle between independent funeral homes and corporate-owned firms. The film paints a very negative picture of corporate-owned funeral homes, while independently-owned firms received much better treatment.

If you are able, we encourage you to watch this film to judge it for yourself. You should also watch it because it could prompt people in your community to ask for your reaction or pose questions about issues raised in the film, particularly about corporate vs. independent funeral home ownership structures; race and class; and pricing – all of which were issues raised during the real trial.

NFDA has prepared a statement that reminds consumers that there are tens of thousands of caring, compassionate funeral directors who serve families throughout the country. Indeed, caring professionals can be found at both independent and corporate owned firms. The statement encourages families to do their homework and “shop around” to find the funeral home that will best meet their needs. You are invited to share this statement with your local media or consumers if you are asked and feel it’s appropriate to do so.

Hatch Bailey, is indeed a positive voice for our city, Waco, Texas.

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 04:00:00 GMT

COVID Update

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 04:00:00 GMT

COVID-19 Message from WHB President, Hatch Bailey (Updated 07/10/2020) The WHB staff continues to review CDC protocols and procedures regarding proper hygiene, safety, and sanitation guidelines as it relates to COVID-19. The number of people allowed to attend services is limited and will vary pursuant to orders issued by state and local authorities. People of different households are to socially distance themselves from others whether indoors or at the graveside. Masks or other facial coverings are required by order of the authorities whether indoors or outdoors. We want nothing more than for the families we serve, as well as their friends, to be safe and feel comfortable. As is our custom, many of our services are video recorded and posted on our website. The livestreaming of services may also be available. In an effort to pay respects to the family of a friend or to one of your own family members who has died, we encourage you to go to our website, www.WHBfamily.com , to write a message of condolence and sign your name on the Tribute Wall. If you have any questions then please call us a (254) 753-3691 or email us at info@WHBfamily.com.

COVID-19 Update from our President, Hatch Bailey

Wed, 27 May 2020 04:00:00 GMT

COVID-19 Message from WHB President, Hatch Bailey (Updated 05/27/20) The WHB staff continues to review CDC protocols and procedures regarding proper hygiene, safety, and sanitation guidelines as it relates to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The number of people allowed to attend services is limited and will vary depending on the venue. We want people to socially distance themselves whether indoors for a funeral or outdoors at the graveside. We strongly encourage the wearing of masks, especially indoors. We want nothing more than for the families we serve, as well as their friends, to be safe and feel comfortable. As is our custom, many of our services are video recorded and posted on our website. Livestream may also be available. Register books and pens; however, are temporarily unavailable at services; therefore, we encourage you to go to our website, www.WHBfamily.com , to write a message of condolence and sign your name on the Tribute Wall. If you have any questions then please call us at (254) 753-3691, or email us at info@WHBfamily.com.

COVID-19 Update from WHB President

Tue, 19 May 2020 04:00:00 GMT

COVID-19 Message from WHB President, Hatch Bailey (Updated 05/19/20) The WHB staff continues to review CDC protocols and procedures regarding proper hygiene, safety, and sanitation guidelines as it relates to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). In regards to yesterday's announcement from the governor, we are moving forward, making plans to safely allow more people at services in the near future. Until then, services will continue to be limited to 10 people, including family. Ten people also includes the minister and funeral director, which is required by law. There is still to be social distancing, even at graveside. As is our custom, many of our services are video recorded and posted on our website. Livestream may also be available. Register books and pens; however, will not be made available at services; therefore, we encourage you to go to our website, www.WHBfamily.com , to write a message of condolence and sign your name on the Tribute Wall. We (STRONGLY) encourage the wearing of masks and social distancing. We want nothing more than for the families we serve - as well as their friends - to be safe and comfortable. If you have any questions then please call us at (254) 753-3691, or email us at info@WHBfamily.com.

Update on COVID-19

Tue, 05 May 2020 04:00:00 GMT

COVID-19 Message from WHB President
(Updated 05/05/20)

The WHB staff continues to review CDC protocols and procedures regarding proper hygiene, safety, and sanitation guidelines as it relates to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). In regards to today's announcement from the governor, services will continue to be limited to 10 people, including family, until further notice. Ten people also includes the minister and funeral director, which is required by law. There is still to be social distancing, even at graveside. As is our custom, many of our services are video recorded and posted on our website. Livestream may also be available. Register books and pens; however, will not be made available at services; therefore, we encourage you to go to our website, www.WHBfamily.com , to write a message of condolence and sign your name on the Tribute Wall. We strongly encourage the wearing of masks. We want nothing more than for the families we serve - as well as their friends and loved ones - to be safe and comfortable. If you have any questions then please call us at (254) 753-3691, or email us at info@WHBfamily.com .

Updated COVID-19 Message from WHB President

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 04:00:00 GMT

COVID-19 Message from WHB President

(Updated 4/29/20)

The WHB staff continues to review CDC protocols and procedures regarding proper hygiene, safety, and sanitation guidelines as it relates to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). In regards to today's announcement from Waco City officials, services will continue to be limited to 10 people, including family, until further notice. Ten people include - at minimum - the funeral director, which of course is required by law, probably a funeral director’s assistant, the clergy or officiant, possibly a sound technician and possibly a musician. In that room there is still to be social distancing. Graveside services require fewer people overall, which would allow for more family members. Keep in mind the 10 people limit and social distancing still applies even though the gathering is outdoors. As is our custom, many of our services are video recorded and posted on our website. Register books and pens will not be made available at services; therefore, we encourage you to go to our website to write a message of condolence and sign your name on the Tribute Wall. We want nothing more than for the families we serve -- as well as their friends and loved ones -- to be safe and comfortable. If you have any questions you can call us at our office at: 254-753-3691, or email us at: info@whbfamily.com .

COVID-19 Message from WHB President

Sun, 15 Mar 2020 04:00:00 GMT

(Updated 3/16/20)

The WHB staff continues to review CDC protocols and procedures regarding proper hygiene, safety, and sanitation guidelines as it relates to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). As of now, services will proceed as scheduled but will be limited to 50 people, including family, until May 11, 2020. As is our custom, many of our services are video recorded and posted on our website. Register books and pens will not be made available at services; therefore, we encourage you to go to our website to write a message of condolence and sign your name on the Tribute Wall. If you prefer to bring a handwritten note from home then we will be pleased to deliver it to the family. We want nothing more than for the families we serve -- as well as their friends and loved ones -- to feel safe and comfortable.

Our Advance Planning Specialist Abigail Boney featured in Modern Texas Living

Sun, 11 Aug 2019 04:00:00 GMT

Our Advance Planning Specialist Abigail Boney was featured in the July 2019 Issue of Modern Texas Living.

Abigail took Publisher Ashley Munn of Modern Texas Living through the preplanning process. Ashley shared her experience with their readers and listed three takeaway tips. First, communication is key. Second, preplanning will save you money and finally, the process can provide meaning.

To read the full article you can go to https://www.moderntexasliving.com/online and scroll to page 52.

If you would like a Final Wishes Organizer mentioned in the article just call Abigail at 254-753-3691.

American Funeral Director Magazine features our COO, Josh Blake

Fri, 31 May 2019 04:00:00 GMT

Our COO, Josh Blake, was one of four profiles in Stan Goldstein’s “Younger Voices Make an Impact” article in the June issue of America Funeral Director magazine.

Younger Voices Make an Impact

By Stan Goldstein

Some have followed in the footsteps of their parents. Others see it as a calling. For millennials working in funeral service, it’s a profession they find extremely fulfilling and rewarding with a chance to make a difference. Here are [one of] four stories from the younger generation.

Josh Blake started in 2014 as a part-time funeral service assistant and preneed counselor at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home in Waco, Texas. Just a few years later, Blake became the funeral home’s chief operating officer.

It was Hatch Bailey, the president and funeral director in charge, a longtime friend of Blake’s and his family, who encouraged him to make this a career.

“Hatch and his family are like a second family to me. I grew up with them. I knew their funeral home growing up. After working four years as a case worker for the local mental health authority, I decided I didn’t want to do that line of work,” Blake said. “I went to Hatch and asked him about working at the funeral home. He said, ‘I’m glad you finally asked. I have been waiting for you to ask.’

“Hatch had been waiting for me to approach him first. He really believes it’s a calling and you shouldn’t do it unless you feel that way.”

Bailey continues to inspire Blake. In a recent Facebook post, Bailey, a fourth-generation funeral director who began his career in 1979, wrote: “Once in a while someone will ask if I have any plans to retire or sell out and it just makes me laugh that people would even think that, but it happened again just a few minutes ago, so it got me to thinking that maybe others wonder the same thing, so I’ll just put this out there… NO plans to retire, period. NO plans to sell out, period. Just this week, my son (who’s served at the funeral home a decade already) and I went to a nursing home to pick up the deceased body of a veteran, and friends … to me, that is sacred work and I ain’t giving that up! Since the age of 17, I have been (and still am) confident that my purpose in life is to love and help people in grief, and I plan to continue doing just that as best I can. So ... yes, we remain ‘A Family Serving Families.’

Blake’s response to this on Facebook was: “94 years and still family owned. Thankful to work with people that are like family.”

Blake, 35, grew up in Waco and graduated from Waco High School. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Baylor University, he moved to Thailand for a year where he taught English as a second language before moving back to Texas.

When he started at the funeral home five years ago, Blake right away knew he had found his calling.

“I loved preneed. I loved meeting with families and getting to visit with them and learn all about them,” Blake said. “I loved at the end, how when they did plan ahead, they were happy and relieved to have done it. It was really fulfilling.”

He then attended school for mortuary science and completed his degree from Amarillo College in 2015. In September 2017, Bailey offered Blake the position as chief operating officer. “It was a surprise as well as an honor and so exciting,” Blake said.

“Josh was most capable of handling the tough and delicate job, and he understood our family and our vision for funeral service and cremations going into the future,” Bailey said. “Josh is the ideal extension of our family to represent our family. To top it off, I was and remain convinced that Josh was called to this. It’s like a divine appointment. Finally, I trust him.”

Improved Website

Blake has run into some resistance from the older guard, but he says there are a lot of positive ideas all around from the 22 employees.

“Before I came here, there were great ideas – and it really was about someone coming in here and running with those ideas and seeing them through,” Blake said. “There’s some operating stuff and our website is one of the major things I tackled. It just wasn’t about changing the company that did it for us. I wanted to update the content with words, images and video and we have been able to do all that.

“Before getting the new site, we weren’t able to control as many things. Now we can update things when we want to. With a third-party operation, we couldn’t do the changes. Now we can do them when we need to. Plus, we have revamped our Facebook and Google pages. Google today is like how the Yellow Pages were years ago. We make sure our page is up to date and that the phone number, owners and hours are all accurate.”

Blake gives a lot of credit to the Selected Independent Funeral Homes’ NextGen community in helping and prepping him for his job.

“That group has been around. Hatch was one of the first ones to be in it. He has made a lot of long-term friends who have helped him over the years, and he wanted me to have the same experience and make the same type of connections. When I came on board, he asked me to join the group as well. I’ve been involved in it for four years,” Blake said. “We have conferences several times a year.”

He attended Selected’s Leadership Academy, and at his 2018 graduation, he gave a presentation on change. “I based it on a book ‘Leading Change’ by John Kotter. I would highly recommend it,” he said.

Through that community and at those conferences, Blake has found new and innovative things to bring to funeral service and to provide for a different generation.

“The families we are arranging with are younger and not as swayed by traditional ways. It does help when someone is younger and is assisting with the arrangements and helping with the creative process,” Blake said. “Also, the way you communicate with the public and the family, it’s changing.

“Some families would rather email back and forth than talking over the phone. Many families are out of town, and I’ve been working on improving our virtual arrangements,” Blake added. “I’ve been using join.me and doing virtual meetings. That’s been helpful for families who are out of town and can’t come in to do arrangements. Also, on our website, we have an option where people can chat with us instead of calling.”

Being involved in the Waco community is important to Blake. He serves on the board of directors for the Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and is involved in the Greater Waco Chamber’s Young Professionals program.

Blake encourages younger people to become involved in funeral service. Baylor University offers a class on death and dying and those students take tours of the funeral home each semester.

“It’s a great job for millennials. It’s what research says they are looking for in a job. It’s fulfilling. You are truly helping and no family is the same and you are never bored,” Blake said. Technology is a big part of a millennial’s life, and it’s a pivotal time for technology at funeral homes. It’s a great time to be a part of it and your ideas can really come to fruition. We’re helping to shape the future.”

Selected Independent Funeral Homes Elects WHB's COO, Josh Blake, to Board of Directors

Thu, 02 May 2019 04:00:00 GMT

What is healthy grieving?

Mon, 05 Feb 2018 05:00:00 GMT

Healthy grieving requires balance. Balance doesn’t mean a 50-50 split of your time, but it does mean you allow yourself time to grieve while also maintaining day-to-day activities. Likewise, it is important to balance the time you spend alone processing your emotions with time spent reaching out to others. Taking care of yourself, or allowing others to comfort you, may feel selfish, but it is not. To deny yourself of some grief is unhealthy. Treat yourself with the same compassion and care that you would offer a loved one experiencing a loss of their own. Grief is a natural process and it is meant to be acknowledged and appropriately addressed

- Hatch Bailey

Who are Wilkirson, Hatch and Bailey?

Wed, 03 Jan 2018 05:00:00 GMT

My father was a Bailey and his father-in-law was a Hatch. Hatch’s father-in-law was a Wilkirson. For five generations, our family-owned funeral home has grown alongside the Waco community. Today, Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey is owned by my two brothers, Roy and Wes, and me. Our family business, its history and its namesake are important to us. In fact, my brothers and I were even named after our family predecessors. Roy was named after our grandfather, Roy Hatch. Wes’s middle name is Wilkirson, and I was given my mother’s maiden name, Hatch. Don’t let the names confuse you. At the end of the day, we’re one big happy family, and serving families has been our ministry since 1925. We’re truly a Family Serving Families!

- Hatch Bailey

I want my parents to have the funeral they desire, but I’m not sure how to start that conversation. Any advice?

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 04:00:00 GMT

The holidays can be a fitting time to discuss funeral wishes with your family members. There is ample downtime and quiet mornings to converse over a warm cup of coffee. Keep in mind that every person is at a different stage in their planning process, so conversations may range from the types of flowers on display to determining a burial location. Whether the conversation is one-on-one or requires siblings and additional family members, the holidays allow for togetherness and create a safe and positive environment for you to discuss their wishes. After getting an understanding of their desires, you may choose to cover all or part of their funeral costs as a gift of appreciation.

- Hatch Bailey | Funeral Director in Charge

Can I have a Cremation with a Service?

Tue, 24 Oct 2017 04:00:00 GMT

Can I have a cremation with a service?

"Yes, you can. Families can choose to hold a funeral ceremony even with cremation. You may rent a casket and have your loved one present for visitation and during a traditional funeral service. From our perspective, as experts in the funeral service, we understand that it is important for families to mourn their loss. The funeral service is the first step towards starting the grief cycle. We want families to know that they can still have a funeral service that honors their loved one's life, even if there is cremation before or after the service."

- Josh Blake | Funeral Director

Asking About Embalming

Tue, 24 Oct 2017 04:00:00 GMT

In selecting a funeral home, what questions should I ask about embalming?

"First, ask if in-house embalming services are offered. WHB is one of the only funeral homes in the Central Texas area that offers on-site embalming services. I have been an embalmer at WHB for 34 years. I can focus on making your loved one look their best for an open casket ceremony or visitation. Secondly, ask the embalmer if he or she can replicate a picture of your loved one. A photo helps the embalmer with reproducing original skin color, dealing with weight issues, and improving facial features. Everyone wants to see their loved ones as they remembered them in life, and that is the real reward for me—seeing satisfied families."

- Dwain Funderburk | Embalmer & Funeral Director

Proper Attire at a Graveside Service in the Summer Heat

Tue, 24 Oct 2017 04:00:00 GMT

What is the proper attire at the graveside service in the summer heat?

A recent obituary stated, “For those attending the service, please dress comfortably,” and I agree 100 percent. Being outdoors this time of year can be dangerous, yet when a loved one dies, it’s important to be there for the family. My advice is to prepare and protect. Not wearing a coat and tie is perfectly acceptable at a cemetery. Clothes made of cotton will breathe and be cooler than other fabrics. Wear a hat to block the sun, but during a prayer, men should remove it. Using an umbrella to block the sun is also fine. When a funeral attendant offers you a bottle of water, take it and drink it.

- Hatch Bailey | Funeral Director in Charge

How Do I Choose a Casket?

Tue, 24 Oct 2017 04:00:00 GMT

How do I choose a casket?

Choosing caskets may be an emotional experience. At WHB, we've made it easier by opening our new casket room, which has something for everyone. One area features premium selections, and another showcases the nice, less expensive options. Or, if families prefer, they may select a casket from the big screen TV in our arrangement room. Part of our job is to help families stay within their budget. If they see a casket they like, but it's over budget, we can help them find something similar and more affordable. We want to help people find a casket that is attractive and fits their budget.

- Hatch Bailey | Funeral Director in Charge

What are the benefits of preplanning my funeral?

Fri, 03 Mar 2017 05:00:00 GMT

Hatch Bailey shares some thoughts from a friend who started preplanning with WHB in 2005 when she was about 40 years old. “Planning and pre-paying for my funeral was a smart, easy thing to do. Now I know exactly how my life will be celebrated. My family will have fewer worries, such as arrangements, choosing songs, and selecting the vault and casket. Plus, we’re definitely saving money, which is very important to me. Since my original plan, I've made changes to it, which was no problem at all at WHB. They simply sent me my current plan, I changed it and sent it back. Bottomline, I want my family celebrating me at my funeral, not worry about selections and paying for it. ”

An Interview with Steve Mansen, WHB Funeral Director

Tue, 07 Feb 2017 05:00:00 GMT

What are the similarities in being a Funeral Director and a Pastor? The answer is simple: Caring. When I was a pastor at Central Christian Church, I knew the members a longer amount of time than most of the families I serve at WHB. However, I have tried to approach both positions with concern for people and a kind heart. At WHB, one of my goals is to ensure that the families are given the service they want for their loved one at a price that fits their budget. My second goal is to help families provide the deceased what he/she deserves. Just as when I was pastoring the church, this requires that I listen intently, so each and every WHB service I direct will meet those objectives.