The staff of Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home is finally in the process of moving out of that prominent white house on the corner of south Sibley Avenue and Weisel Street.
As of Monday, staff members were saying their final goodbyes to the facility that had been their place of business since the 1930s. Now Johnson-Hagglund will be serving clients at 125 south Armstrong Avenue with a space designed to better serve the needs of the community.
In recent years, several changes in funeral service signaled that it was time to invest in a new building to accommodate the needs and expectations of today’s families, a news release from Johnson-Hagglund said. Construction began October of last year, and a grand opening celebration with a ribbon-cutting and flag-raising ceremony marked the beginning of a new era for Litchfield’s sole funeral service provider.
“It was great,” Ray Bartlett, funeral director and manager, said about the grand opening Sunday afternoon. “It was overwhelming how many people came. The turnout was fantastic.”
Bartlett estimated 800 attendees walked through the doors of the “bright and shiny” building to tour the facility, ask questions, learn about the design concepts and enjoy a meal with community members.
The new facility offers a more accessible layout for handicapped visitors as well as off-street parking. Other perks to the new facility include a multi-functional reception room, a chapel, comfortable seating areas, more space for visitation and therefore a better control of privacy for grieving families.
“In the old space, a visitation would consume the entire building,” Bartlett said, adding that the old layout would not allow for multiple events. He said the new space would open up scheduling for the staff, offering the ability to hold visitations while simultaneously meeting the needs of others.
“We as a staff take comfort in keeping the confidentiality of clients,” he said
Beyond that, Johnson-Hagglund is now the only crematorium in Meeker County.
“Our clientele dictated that decision,” Bartlett said about the addition of offering cremation services. “With more people choosing cremation, the new building will allow for us to do it right there. Our hopes are that it will give people the peace of mind that their loved ones never leave our care.”
The additional service, along with the move, will be a learning experience, according to Bartlett, but the staff is excited for the transition.
“It will take adjustments,” he said, “but, it’s a big excitement.”
