Funeral arrangements aren’t a topic that often comes to mind for the general public. When tragedy strikes, however, it’s important to know who to call.
Unfortunately, death is never convenient, and it doesn’t run on a regular workday schedule. Though the hours of Bartholomew Funeral Home are listed as a normal nine-to-five workday, the reality of the job means that the team is always on call.
“Technically, our hours are listed online and it says nine-to-five Monday through Friday and nine-to-noon on Saturdays. Those are the times that we are 100% here in the office physically, but a lot of people don't realize that somebody is always available 24/7. It doesn't matter if it’s at noon on a Sunday or if it's at 2 a.m. on a Tuesday. Day or night, rain or shine, we have to be able to accommodate people's needs,” said Office Manager Kyle Newhard.
The full-service funeral home has been in operation since the late 1800s, establishing it as the oldest operating funeral home in Valparaiso. Owner and Funeral Director Michael Newhard bought the business in 1997, and the family has continued the legacy ever since.
Bartholomew’s rich history and compassionate ownership have become a supporting pillar of the business. In every aspect of the funeral process, the team at Bartholomew works to ensure that service and comfort are its top priority.
“We always want to make sure that service comes first. We emphasize that we can work through this with you because we've all been through something similar. We've all lost people that are close to us in our lives. For a lot of people, this is one of the most difficult times in their life. We want to be there to help them through that,” said Kyle Newhard.
The process of planning a funeral is uncharted territory for many, and it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. At Bartholomew, transparency is established from start to finish. When going through a tough time, knowing exactly what is happening can be extremely comforting.
“We're very transparent. If a family needs to know something, we're very upfront about things. We don't want them to feel like there's a shroud of mystery around us. We want them to know what we do, why we do it, and why we are actually on call 24/7. It seems to bring a certain amount of comfort to them knowing that we're there for them,” said Michael Newhard.
At its core, the team at Bartholomew Funeral Home works to treat families how they would want to be treated during a time of tremendous loss. No matter the time of day, the staff is committed to being a comforting presence to those in need, even if it’s simply being there to talk people through dealing with their grief.
“It’s about treating people how we want to be treated. We've been on that other side of the fence. All of us have lost somebody close to us. People ask us all the time, ‘how do you folks do what you do?’ And quite simply our response is usually ‘well, we treat people how they want to be treated and we try to put ourselves in their shoes.’ Not that we know exactly how they're feeling because we didn't have that relationship with that loved one that they did, but we can kind of envision what they're going through and be there for them when they need that. That isn't always on a nine-to-five schedule,” said Michael Newhard.
Becoming a funeral director includes tough moments, unusual hours, and difficult conversations. Despite the difficulty, Michael and Kyle Newhard find joy in being able to provide comfort during some of the most difficult moments of a person’s life.
“I think a big part of it is the satisfaction that we get from being able to hopefully help somebody through a difficult time. It almost brings a smile to my face when we can see that somebody just feels a little bit of comfort,” said Kyle Newhard.
Hearing a family say ‘thank you’ after experiencing great loss is the only motivation Michael and Kyle Newhard need to get through any tough situation. Although it’s not always easy, the team is constantly reminded that they are doing what they are meant to do.
“When we hear that from the family, that means a lot to us. We don't take that for granted. I think sometimes that sets us apart from other funeral homes. When they express that gratitude, we know that we did what we were supposed to do. We know that we're doing the right things with our lives and helping people through the funeral services and the care we can offer them,” said Michael Newhard.
Planning a funeral shouldn’t be a mystery. Knowing how a process works and what steps need to be taken before and after a funeral can help ease stress levels during a time of loss. To help dilute the often thick shroud of mystery surrounding the funeral planning process, the team at Bartholomew Funeral Home encourages people to ask questions.
“We always encourage people to ask questions if they're curious about something. Drop-in and talk to us or give us a call. If you're curious about something, we'll answer it as best as we can so that there aren't really a lot of questions when it comes to what we do and how things work,” said Kyle Newhard.
To learn more about Bartholomew Funeral Home, visit https://www.bartholomewnewhard.com/