History & Staff
We have years of experience caring for families, from all walks of life. Each family comes to us because they know we are leaders in our profession, dedicated to excellence in service, and have the highest integrity.
Our History
Stephens Funeral Home began in the early 1900’s as the Billington and Benson Funeral Company in Free Soil. In the early years, funeral homes were often part of a furniture store or livery company. Funeral practices included reposing the body at the family home for a few days before moving to the local church for services, then onto the local cemetery for burial. Embalming was not standard at this time.
Rupert Stephens of Free Soil, purchased the funeral business from P. Billington and C.C. Benson on June 1, 1916 and changed the name to Stephens and Benson Company. In September, 1917, the name was again changed to Stephens and Sons Funeral Company, as Rupert’s son Lloyd joined him in business. In 1919, the business was moved from Free Soil into downtown Scottville, where they operated both a furniture store and funeral business.
Funeral practices were beginning to change with embalming becoming a more standard practice, and reposing of the body at the funeral parlor, rather than at home. As the need for more space became necessary, the funeral business changed its location in Scottville to a couple of locations until the 1930’s, when Rupert and Lloyd purchased the home and office of Dr. Thomas Foster at 305 E. State Street. They added a new chapel and the Stephens Funeral Home relocated to its current site.
In the 1940’s, Rupert was elected as a Representative to the State of Michigan Legislature, which opened the door for the third generation of Stephens family to join the business when Lloyd Jr. received his Mortuary Science License in 1949. In the 1960’s, Lloyd Sr. again followed his father path, and was elected as a Senator to the State Legislature. Lloyd Jr., known as “Stevie” to all, continued to run the funeral home until 1979.
Randy Wyman grew up in a funeral home as his father Lawrence and brother Lawrence Jr. are both funeral directors in Clare. Randy learned early the importance of being a small town funeral director, and how it involved the entire family. Upon graduation from Wayne State University in 1986, Randy worked in the Grand Rapids area until December 1999, when he and Sherry desired to return to a smaller community to raise their family. They have operated the funeral home since then, and in January 2007, added Wyman Funeral & Cremation Services, Inc. to the Stephens Funeral Home name.
Our Valued Staff
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Randall S. Wyman, Funeral Director