Family Owned and Operated for More Than 100 Years.
Smith Lund Mills Funeral Chapel was originally known as the Veatch Funeral Home, established in 1906. It was a single-story period house located on what was then Tennessee Avenue, now Washington Avenue and the present site of Smith Lund Mills Funeral Chapel & Crematorium.
In February 1912, Marion Veatch sold the business to Elizabeth and Karl Mills, a former associate. Thirty-six years later, the son, Robert G. Mills, joined the family business, later assuming ownership. Robert G. Mills operated the funeral home with his wife, Lois, until poor health required his retirement in 1977.
Meanwhile, Russell Smith had moved to Cottage Grove in 1940 and established the Smith Funeral Home at 115 North Sixth Street, across from the Cottage Grove Sentinel newspaper office. In 1962, Smith built a new facility across the street on the corner of Sixth and Gibbs in what is now Umpqua Bank.
Veach Funeral Home
Doug Lund joined the Smith Funeral Home in 1965. He then purchased the business and changed the name to Smith-Lund Chapel. Smith assisted Lund for several years until he retired completely.
Mills Mortuary
When Robert Mills retired in March 1977, Doug Lund and his wife, Jeryl, purchased his business. The two companies were combined at the Mills site and the name was changed to Smith Lund Mills Funeral Chapel.
Smith Funeral Chapel
The Lund family remodeled the building in 1979, changing the facility into a more contemporary designed facility. The original foundation, and portions of the original Veatch building, are still part of the existing facility today.
Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral
Chapel & Crematorium
Smith Lund Mills Funeral Chapel has grown along with the community. In 1995, a crematorium was installed on the premises to meet the growing demand for cremation.
In 1995, Marc Lund joined his father, Doug, as a staff Funeral Director.
In 1997, the Lund family purchased Fir Grove Cemetery, the areas only Endowment Care Cemetery. Fir Grove was originally founded in the late 1800s by the Masons and Odd Fellows. The cemetery is situated amongst and rolling hills and towering old growth Douglas Fir trees just off of West Main Street in Cottage Grove.
The newest addition to Fir Grove Cemetery is The Cascade Cremation Garden. Completed in 2003, it was the first major addition to the cemetery since the 1960s. Like most of Fir Grove, the Cascade Cremation Garden is situated in a forested setting overlooking the entire cemetery.
This specialized area of the cemetery provides multiple options for permanent placement of cremated remain: Two outdoor Columbaria that are that are lined with cremation niches for above ground placement of urns; The Book of Remembrance, which allows for permanent memorialization without the cremated remains present; In ground urn burial spaces are mixed throughout the Cascade Cremation Garden along with traditional burial spaces. These spaces are sized perfectly for urns. Memorial Cremation benches, memorial pavers and other creation options are also available.
In 2004, Marc, and his wife Christina, purchased the Funeral Chapel and Cemetery from Doug and Jeryl Lund. Doug formally retired after more than 40 years of service to the community.
In 2006 The Lund's, expanded their cemetery services to providing cemetery grave digging to over 20 small pioneer cemeteries throughout Lane and Douglas counties. This has allowed us to provide high highest level of service to families in more than just our cemetery.
In 2011 and 2012 respectively, the Lund family entered into agreements with both Creswell Pioneer Cemetery and the City of Drain to install and manage Columbaria in their cemeteries. These partnerships were formed in response to the need for more cremation options in both communities.
In 2013 Smith Lund Mills Funeral Chapel & Crematorium is proud to announce that we are the first authorized provider for Lane County of Alkaline Hydrolysis in conjunction with our partner, Clear Water Oregon's Alternative Disposition™. What Clear Water provides is an energy efficient, flameless alternative to traditional cremation. This process gives you another option for disposition that is considered more environmentally friendly than flame based cremation.
In addition to Alkaline Hydrolysis, Smith Lund Mills Funeral Chapel & Crematorium became the first funeral provider in Oregon to offer online cremation arrangements. Allowing clients to explore their options and purchase either "At the time of need" or "In advance of need" cremation goods and services.
In 2015 the Lund family acquired Sunset Hills Funeral Home Crematorium Cemetery. Located in south Eugene, the acquisition of this beautiful location gives the Eugene area more cremation and funeral options, coupled with the Lund families traditions of outstanding customer care.