We're pleased to be recognized as Fort Wayne's Best Funeral Home for the third time in three years. It's proof positive that our brand of care — authentic, local and deriving from a deep sense of mission — is speaking directly to Fort Wayne families and helping them heal.
With over 100 years of combined staff experience in funeral care services, FairHaven Funeral Home and Cremation Services is this year’s 1 st place recipient for the third time in as many years.
“It’s confirmation that we are providing our services in the right way,” funeral director and partner Britton Claghorn said about the 2021 win. “Our motivation has always been to treat others respectfully and with compassion, helping them through the journey of grief.”
Locally owned FairHaven continues to receive excellent feedback from the community. They have received over 100 5-Star reviews on Google and Facebook, and families who have chosen them have been generous with their support.
“We love getting this important encouragement. It’s a compliment to us and always appreciated,” director-partner Lucas Glessner said.
He went on to explain FairHaven staff’s sense of commitment. “Our staff is dedicated to handling every aspect and detail of the service with great care. We all work so well together, and we share the same mission of service.”
Over the past year, creating a safe place for families to grieve has been challenging as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was difficult to see families go through the grieving process without the support of their communities, family and friends being able to come together," director-partner Mark Scheidt said.
“We took many measures to keep people safe and our building clean. The restrictions on numbers kept families from the support they needed, but we accommodated many through webcasting funerals, outdoor visitations, and online guestbooks,” Scheidt added, referring to the adjustments FairHaven staff were willing to make to help client-families memorialize their loved ones.
FairHaven has continued to grow each year since owners Scheidt, Claghorn, Glessner and Jarod Steffen took over in May of 2018. The growth has created jobs and partnerships with other local businesses, something that's win-win for Fort Wayne and the local economy.
Funeral director-partner Jarod Steffen said, “Supporting the community and other local businesses is something the entire staff believes in. We also understand the importance of giving back and being a part of a community that has given us so much support.”
FairHaven is helping families by offering a free pre-planning service. It’s an opportunity to plan and make wishes known before it becomes a burden to loved ones.
“We see everyday how beneficial pre-planning a funeral can be," said Steffen. “Our prearrangement counsellors make the process easy and that provides peace of mind and certainty for everyone involved.”
