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Our
History
In this year of 2009 we, Warren
and Amy Jo Roland and our staff
at Roland Funeral Home, are
blessed to be celebrating our
90th Anniversary year of
business in
Atlantic
. We are dedicating this
anniversary to Warren's father,
Burdette L. Roland. Our
success is due chiefly to
Burdette and his wife Martha
and our staff, as well as
to those who have been
supportive and have entrusted
us with the final care
of their loved
ones.
Looking
Back...
In
about 1900, J.L. Winne
established the J.L.
Winne Furniture and
Undertaking Company at
315 Chestnut
Street. The
business was purchased in
1919 by Henry Baxter and
Jack Peacock becoming the
Peacock and Baxter
Furniture and Undertaking
Company.
The
history of the Roland
Funeral Home in Atlantic
started in 1919, when
Burdette L. Roland was
employed by Baxter and
Peacock to work as the
funeral director and
embalmer. Born in
Corning, Burdette had
received his license in
1916 and had previously
worked in Oskaloosa,
Boone and
Ames.
In 1922
when Burdette bought a
one-half interest in the
business and the business
name changed to
Roland-Peacock and
Baxter. The
business remained at
their main street
location, 315 Chestnut
Street, until
in 1926 when
Burdette purchased a
property at Fifth and Elm
streets and moved a house
to make room for what has
since then been
the Roland
Funeral Home.
This was the first building in
Iowa
to be built especially as a
funeral home. It featured a
chapel, private family room and
a modern preparation room for
the care of the deceased.
At that time, it wasn't popular
to remove bodies from their
homes, so funeral workers took
their equipment to the homes to
do preparation work.
Funeral services were also
sometimes conducted in the home
and sometimes held in
churches.
For many years Roland-Peacock
and Baxter operated a "modern
ambulance and invalid coach"
service before the city of
Atlantic began
an
ambulance service in
1940.
In 1935
a north addition to the
funeral home added much
needed room for funeral
seating, visitation rooms
and a music room.
In addition, that year,
Burdette designed a
cemetery tent that
was made by the
Manufacturing Company of
Omaha. It was the first
cemetery tent the company
had made and today the
Manufacturing Company is
nationally known for
producing the tents
through the
years.
In
1959, Burdette became
sole owner after
purchasing Peacock's
interest in the funeral
service. The firm
changed
its
name to Roland's Home for
Funerals, and later changed it
again to Roland Funeral
Service.
Burdette and
his wife
Martha had
four sons, James, Keith, John
and Warren. James had
taken mortuary training, was
working at the funeral home and
had married Sally Baier when he
tragically died, along with his
father-in-law, in an automobile
accident in
1964.
Warren,
the youngest of the
brothers, then took
mortuary training and
after he received his
license in
1966, came back home
to assist his father in
the family business.
Martha had joined the
funeral home staff and
worked as a secretary for
many
years.
Additional remodeling took
place, adding office space
and an east entrance, as well
as a four-car
garage.
In 1971
Warren and his wife, Amy,
purchased half of
the business from
Burdette. Then in
1973 Warren and Amy
purchased the
other half of the
business. In 1975 Warren
and Amy purchased
the
building from Warren's
parents.
In 1976 more remodeling added
two viewing rooms,
two restrooms and more
seating. The 1980's saw
new services offered including
a pre-recorded message giving
pending funerals and service
time and information.
Parking areas were expanded and
a 24-hour fax service was
added.
Burdette remained active,
keeping
his continuing education
credits current
for his service
in the family business
until shortly before his death
in
1986.
See
Our
Family for more
current changes and further
updates are related
throughout our web
pages.
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