Page 116 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2024

GOLDEN YEARS
Compassion
THE ART OF
Mike, Chad and Addison Riemann and Jason Green.
story by Cherie Ward photos courtesy of Riemann Family Funeral Homes
Stepping through the doors of a funeral home is something we must all do at some point in our lifetime. And the teams at
the six Riemann Family Funeral Homes have dedicated their lives to funeral ministrations and understand the impacts of that step are unique to each person who passes through their doors.
“We answer our phones Riemann Service because that’s what we do,”
said President and Funeral Director Chad Riemann. “We’re here to provide
a service like no other and we do that through the lifelong commitment we’ve made to treat your family like our family.”
That neighborhood loyalty and compassion stem from his grandfather’s wish to have a Riemann Family Funeral Home in each area of the Gulf Coast
to better serve the communities. Currently, the funeral homes can be found in Gulfport, West Jackson County, Biloxi, Long Beach, Pass Christian, and
Riemann Family Funeral Homes Legacy Includes More Than a Century of Caring Services
116 | November 2024
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Waveland.
“He taught us about the true
importance of this lifelong ministry,” he said, adding some of their funeral directors have been with them for more than 30 years. “This is so much more than a business and therefore our doors are always unlocked.”
Riemann’s great-grandparents,
Ernest and Ruth Riemann created
the four generational legacy business’ foundation that’s still honored today. While vacationing on the Coast, his great-grandparents fell in love with the golden sunsets, and soon after moved from Michigan to Gulfport. The couple bought half interest in the Wilder Funeral Home in downtown Gulfport in 1920 and purchased the rest of the business the following year.
“I have an article from the newspaper hanging on the wall from when Mrs. Wilder put an ad in the paper that
said any debts that are owed by Wilder Funeral Home are now to be paid by Ernest Riemann,” he said, adding he also has the original agreement his great- grandparents signed to buy the business.
Riemann feels one of the most important life steps people should give more consideration to is pre-planning funerals.
“It’s one of those things that nobody wants to talk about, but it truly is a gift to your family,” he said. “A prearrangement takes away some of the emotional stress that happens when somebody passes. When we sit across the table from
a family that has preplanned versus
one that has not, it’s a totally different experience.”
www.riemannfamily.com