Morrison Funeral Home will be recognized as the 2021 Business of the Year at this year’s Chamber Annual Dinner.

The business began operation in 1924, nearly 100 years ago. Sold to Charles A. Morrison in 1957, who is still remembered by many community members, the business officially changed the name to Morrison Funeral Home. Mike Morrison purchased the funeral home from his father in 1987 and in June of 2017, sold Morrison Funeral Home, Inc. to the son of a classmate of the 1975 Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science class, Matthew T. Deal and his wife Rebekah. The Morrison family has a rich history of community involvement, one that is well recorded and available on the morrisonhome.com website.

Matt became a member of the Morrison Funeral Home staff in June 2012, where he joined the Morrison family in their commitment to caring for families, from all walks of life. Matt remarks, ”Each family comes to us because they know we are leaders in our profession, dedicated to excellence in service, and have the highest integrity, but we also understand that we have been serving many families for multiple generations.”

Matt and Rebekah have immersed themselves in the community, building relationships that model those of the previous owners.

Matt is a graduate of Leadership Venango and currently serves as the chairman of the board of directors for the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce, is a member of Petrolia Lodge #363 F&AM where he serves on the building committee, serves as a Local Board Member in Venango County for the U.S. Selective Service System, and serves on the board of the Northwest Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association.

Rebekah is a member of the Franklin -Oil City Zonta Club, where she has served as the Secretary for the last three years, and the Oil City Rotary Club, serving as the President of Rotary during the 2020-2022 term. She is also a Board Member and Treasurer of the Oil City Main Street Steering Committee, an Executive Board Member of the Oil City YMCA, serving as vice chair, a member of the Northwest Hospital Foundation Corporation Board, and has been the race director for Oil City’s Jingle Bell 5k Race for the last 4 years. As an avid runner herself, Rebekah is part of a running community that has continued to grow locally, drawing people to run daily at 4:45 am.

Spencer Mehlburger joined Morrison Funeral Home in the summer of 2020 for her internship, and joined their staff as a licensed funeral director in 2021. She believes that the most important task for a Funeral Director is supporting the family throughout their individual grieving processes. She is also a graduate of Leadership Venango, an active member of the Oil City Rotary Club and the Franklin-Oil City Zonta Club, serves on the Board of Grove Hill Cemetery Association, and serves on the Board at the Venango Museum.

The Morrison Funeral Home staff have been exemplary in their commitment to the community and their clients. The last two years have been especially challenging for those in the funeral industry and Rebekah, Matt, and Spencer share that, along with the difficult days, there have been opportunities to show extreme compassion, often in unusual circumstances.

Their business adjusted to the mandates by finding creative ways to help families. Using technology, they were able to bring families together, when they could not meet in person. They have held viewings and services at a nursing home and at the hospital, to allow families who were otherwise isolated to be with their loved one.

Find more information about Morrison Funeral Home by visiting www.morrisonhome.com.

This article was published in the Venango Chamber’s February 2022 VenangoWorks! Newsletter.