| The Kessel Funeral Home is located in St. Elmo Illinois, a small town where in 1935 oil was discovered. The oil boom is all but gone but the town and surrounding rural areas still flourish today. In the fall of 1939, this lovely brick colonial home began construction and was completed in the spring of 1940. The building was originally built by B.B. and his son Revis Brown, who had founded the Brown Funeral Home in 1921. The funeral home was constructed by Mautz Construction of Effingham, IL who used bricks made at the local brickyard. The May family purchased the funeral home in 1970 from the Moeller family and then sold it the Kessel Corporation in April of 1996. The corporation now owns the business under the name of Kessel Funeral Home. Valerie J Kessel-Worley is the licensed funeral director and embalmer who fully operates the business and lives within the residence of the funeral home with her husband Craig. The Funeral home consists of a main chapel which seats 65 and an additional private family room which accommodates up to 25. The chapel features a hand crafted stained glass window of an angel above the casket area. All of the original wood remains which includes the chair rail, baseboards and detail design curved overhead shadow boxes. This unique vintage design is carried throughout the funeral home and residence down to the detail on the fireplaces. The main entrance foyer features a very large curved walnut staircase that separates the funeral home from the private residence. The staircase opens the lower foyer to the upper foyer, and gives the room the detail of extraordinary craftsmanship of the era in which it was constructed. By the entrance near the side walk as you approach the front entry way, families can hear the trickling of water from the exquisite fountain that was purchased in Rome in the 1970's. The funeral home includes 17 rooms and a full basement which was hand dug by early generations of residents that still live in the area. These characteristics uphold the present values of the people of St. Elmo. The building also features two fireplaces, four bedrooms, a large Master bath, and 2 other full baths, living room, kitchen with a breakfast nook. The side gardens and decorative fish pond along with arranged flowers, brick paved sidewalks and wonderfully unique statues provide a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere to enjoy. The funeral home has been under extensive refurbishing since it's purchase in 1996 and was completed in late spring of 2005. All details are reproduced to maintain the original beauty and craftsmanship of this lovely estate. The small town of St. Elmo keeps up with the all traditional morals of past generations. The Kessel Funeral Home strives to keep the past an important part of the future |
