Funeral practices have changed dramatically over the past four or five decades, and they continue to evolve with society’s attitudes toward end-of-life customs. Remmert Funeral Home, 521 East Washington St., in East Peoria, has been there through it all, not only evolving to meet the needs of families, but also developing new ways to help them deal with loss and grief.

Don Henderson, general manager at Remmert Funeral Home for the past 10 years, has had a front-row seat to many of those changes. The business we know today as Remmert Funeral Home began when Gary Remmert joined the staff of Leroy Schmidt Funeral Parlor. He later purchased and rebranded the business with its current name. In the mid-1990s, Remmert joined the nationwide Dignity Memorial network, which currently has more than 2,000 affiliates across North America.

Henderson came to East Peoria by way of his family’s funeral services business in Pekin. After practicing with several central Illinois firms for 22 years, he joined Dignity Memorial in 2014, and became the general manager in East Peoria in 2017.

More than two-thirds of the families Henderson works with each year choose cremation for their loved ones, a trend that has been on the rise across the country. While the number of simple cremations (no burial or memorial service) has risen to nearly 80 percent on the east and west coasts, it stands at between 60 to 65 percent here in the Midwest. However, he said many central Illinois families choosing cremation also have a memorial service or celebration of life.

“What we’re finding is that, even families choosing cremation, still feel it is important to have a ceremony or commemorative event to celebrate the life of their loved one,” he said. By calling it a celebration of life, families are more likely to choose food, special seating, and other options to make the event more meaningful.

In recent years, Remmert has been evolving its facility, replacing traditional “theater seating” with round tables to promote conversation and community at services. Where some might not have wanted a visitation service in the past, more families are choosing food and refreshments from Remmert’s extensive menu of services.

“When it is called a celebration of life, those things become more acceptable and meaningful,” Henderson said. At the same time, the Remmert website has become a 24/7 ambassador for the company, with 360-degree online tours, transparent pricing, easily searchable obituary listings, travel services, and the ability to arrange flowers, food, and other amenities online.

Henderson observed that, over a span of about 15 years, Google has supplanted the local daily newspaper as the primary method of searching for obituaries. Remmert offers grief support services, guaranteed pre-planning options, and the production of memorial videos.

This spring, Remmert will become a “compassionate reception location” for families experiencing the loss of a pet. Through an affiliation with Preston-Hanley Pet Crematory in Pekin, Remmert will soon offer cremation and many of the same services for the families of pets.

“We’re looking forward to extending that level of caring to those who have suffered the loss of a pet,” he said.